Mathura: Tantric sentenced to 22 years in jail for rape, unnatural sex

 A fast-track court here today sent a tantric to jail for 22 years for cheating, raping and having unnatural sex with a 60-year-old woman by promising to ward off effects of evil forces on her family.

The convict has also been fined Rs 22,000, which if not paid would extend his term of imprisonment by 33 months, Additional District Government Counsel Praveen Kumar Singh said. Additional District Judge Vivekanand Saran Tripathi has sentenced tantric Mahesh Chandra to 15 years in jail for rape, six years for unnatural sex and one year for cheating. The sentences would run consecutively, Singh said. On July 12 last year, the tantric had called the woman to his residence and raped and had unnatural sex with her saying that it was necessary for warding off effects of evil forces on her family, the government counsel said.

The convict had then alleged that the accusations were made since he had asked the woman's husband to return Rs 35,000 loaned from him. On the direction of the court, an FIR was registered on November 22 last year and the tantric was arrested.