This isn’t a daily soap script, in which a conman swindles people with the promise of fulfilling their dreams; but a real life tragedy that befalls a daily soap actress in Mumbai, who was allegedly first conned of Rs 26 lakh and then raped by a tantrik from Mahim.

The actress was hopelessly chasing her dreams to have a roof over her head. On numerous occasions, earlier, she had applied for a MHADA flat but fate seemed to have something else in store for her. 

Having lost all hopes, she came into contact with one Bhagwandas, a 40-something self-styled godman who claimed to be a tantrik, in 2013. The 27-year-old starlet regularly frequented him and he made her perform several rituals, charging (read cheating) Rs 50,000 from her.

Once again her luck failed to shine as in the recently withdrawn MHADA lottery her name was missing from the lists of beneficiaries.

When things didn’t work out for her, Bhagwan took her to Ismail Azim Khan (35), who told her that she was overpowered by an evil spirit. He told her Khan was a modern day Sai Baba and that she should follow his instructions. He also convinced her to believe that few rituals have to be done which will cost at least Rs 25 lakh. Khan then told her in order to get rid of the evil spirit; she had to get intimate with him. After raping the actress and taking the money, he fled from the scene. 

When he vanished with her money, she realized she had been tricked. The actress went to the Charkop police station on May 9 and lodged a case against the duo. Khan was arrested the next day from his residence near Mahim Church, booked under Section 376 (rape) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code. He was produced before the court and remanded to police custody. His accomplice, Bhagwandas, is still absconding and the police have launched a manhunt to nab him.