According to the police, the woman, who lives at Dahisar, had been told by a neighbour that one Tausif Malik Baba (30), had ``divine powers'' and could solve various problems. Since her husband and brother were both alcohilics and unemployed, she decided to visit the tantrik at his residence in Borivli (W).

She and her husband met the tantrik on August 11, and after talking to the couple for a while, he instructed the husband to get some material to perform some `rites'. After the husband left, the tantrik asked the woman to lie down on the floor so that he could examine her, but she refused. The man then threatened her, saying he could heap evil on her and her family if she did not comply, police said. Then he raped her, says B B Ghuge, assistant police inspector, Borivli police station. He also threatened to kill her if she breathed a word toanyone about the incident.

When the husband returned, he noticed that his wife was sitting quietly in a corner, the officer said.

After the `rites were performed', the couple left and the man asked his wife why she was unusually quiet, police said. On reaching home, the woman told her husband that she had been raped. A complant was filed with the Borivli police, Ghuge said. The tantrik was then arrested and charged under Sections 376 (rape), 420 (cheating) and 506 (threatening to kill) of the Indian Penal Code. He has been remanded to judicial custody till September 3.

Investigations reveal that the tantrik hails from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh and has cheated several persons. Though his diaries contain the names and telephone numbers of several persons whom he has cheated, none of them has lodged police complaints.