Wazir Sheikh alias Yusuf Baba and 6 Accomplices Arrested for Sextortion Racket [Thane, India]

(Reported as seen)

In a shocking revelation, the Thane Police Crime Branch announced on Saturday (2nd March) that they have successfully dismantled a sextortion racket operating under the guise of a false godman. The main accused, Wazir Sheikh alias Yusuf Baba, along with six other individuals, was arrested for luring women with promises of a ‘rain of money’ through supposed rituals, exploiting them and later blackmailing them with compromising videos.

Saheblal Wazir Sheikh, known as Yusuf Baba, was part of a gang that targeted innocent and financially vulnerable women and girls living in difficult circumstances. The modus operandi involved enticing women to seek solutions to their problems, promising them substantial financial gains and an end to their troubles.

Yusuf Baba, posing as a godman, would then introduce the victims to a series of rituals under the pretext of black magic. Shockingly, these rituals involved coercing women to undress and participate in activities that were secretly filmed. The self-styled godman claimed that these acts would satisfy a purported soul and result in a shower of wealth for the women involved.

The disturbing racket came to light during the investigation of a missing 5-year-old girl from Rabodi in Thane. Two individuals, Aslam Khan and Salim Shaikh, arrested on February 25th in connection with the missing girl, revealed details of Yusuf Baba’s sextortion activities, leading to his subsequent arrest.

Inspector Krishna Kokni of Thane Crime Branch Unit I commented, “We believe this gang, which includes two women, ensnared at least 17 persons. The seven arrests were made from Thane, Vasai in Palghar, and neighbouring Mumbai. Our probe found that Yusuf Baba and his associates lured financially vulnerable women by promising them riches through black magic. Some of the rituals included the participation of women in the nude.”

The accused have been charged with various offenses under the Indian Penal Code, including kidnapping, rape, and cheating. Additionally, charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act 2013 have been filed. The police continue their investigation into the full extent of the racket and the number of victims involved.