Fake Faith Healer Arrested in Ahmedabad After Minor Girl Assaulted During 'Rituals'
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Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Sola High Court Police have arrested a 32-year-old self-styled faith healer for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting a minor girl repeatedly under the guise of performing rituals to cure her chronic illness.
The accused, Chandrakant alias Chandresh Kantibhai Panchal, a resident of Shayona City in Sola originally hailing from Radhanpur, targeted the young girl after her family sought his assistance nearly a year ago.
Drugged Water and Exploitation of Impoverished Family
Police investigations revealed that Panchal instructed the family to send the minor to his residence for special healing sessions. During these visits, he laced her drinking water with an unknown sedative to render her unconscious before carrying out the assaults.
Panchal exploited the family's poor financial background to keep the victim coming back under the pretense of further treatment. The ordeal came to light only after photographs Panchal had taken with the minor began circulating online, prompting her family to inspect the situation and report the matter to law enforcement.
Booked Under POCSO and Anti-Black Magic Laws
Sola High Court Police registered a formal case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the state legislation targeting human sacrifice, inhuman practices, and black magic.
Serial Offender With History of Multi-Lakh Tantric Frauds
Panchal is a habitual offender with a long criminal track record across Ahmedabad and surrounding districts. He previously served time in Rajkot jail under preventive detention orders in 2025 following a string of cheating cases.
Police records indicate Panchal has siphoned off nearly ₹56 lakh in gold ornaments and cash from desperate families using identical black magic ruses:
- Sola High Court Case (2025): Duped a family of gold jewellery worth ₹26 lakh after promising to resolve domestic troubles through rituals.
- Ghatlodia Offence: Snatched 27.5 tolas of gold ornaments valued at ₹13.62 lakh under the pretext of divine intervention.
- Mandal Fraud: Defrauded a complainant of gold worth ₹8.88 lakh through fraudulent spiritual claims.
- Ramol Police Station Case: Swindled gold ornaments worth ₹5.90 lakh from a mother by promising to cure her daughter's respiratory and stomach ailments.
Investigators are probing whether Panchal operated with accomplices and are urging other potential victims of his financial and physical exploitation to step forward.
