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Supersition not a crime in Karnataka so Maha cops can't arrest godman

The Latur police claimed that though they have identified the godman as Karappa Mungale from Bidar district in Karnataka and are fully aware of his whereabouts, they cannot arrest him under the Maharashtra anti-superstition act since there is no such act in Karnataka.

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Maharashtra Police is unable to act against a so-called godman who had allegedly forced two Latur women to consume cow dung to "cure them of epilepsy" and ward off other troubles from their lives.

The Latur police claimed that though they have identified the godman as Karappa Mungale from Bidar district in Karnataka and are fully aware of his whereabouts, they cannot arrest him under the Maharashtra anti-superstition act since there is no such act in Karnataka. This means, the godman's actions are not considered a crime in Karnataka.

"Despite knowing his whereabouts, there is little we can do, because our hands are tied by the law. The Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman Evils and Aghori Practice and Black Magic Act, 2013 is applicable only within the jurisdiction of the state of Maharashtra and Mungale's doings are not considered a crime in Karnataka. Hence Mungale cannot be arrested under the anti-superstition act of Maharashtra," said Vikas Naik, deputy superintendent of police, Chakur, Latur district.

The police had on June 13 arrested Prabhakar Kesale, Pandit Kore, Gangadhar Shewale, Dagdu Shewale and one woman from Dhangarwadi village in Chakur area of Latur in the case.

"As per the Act, the place of origin should be in Maharashtra for the person to be arrested in the case. In this case, the two victims were taken from Maharashtra to Bidar by the accused persons from Latur. The accused not only believed the superstition but also publicised the superstition in their village," said Naik.

Earlier this month, a video had gone viral where a woman from Latur was seen being whipped by a group of people and forced to consume cow dung. It was suspected that the act was to cure them of epilepsy and ward off other troubles from their lives. The probe later revealed that the place of offence was actually Bidar in Karnataka and not Maharashtra.

The police have registered a case under Indian Penal Code sections 500 (Punishment for defamation), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), Information Technology Act section 67 (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.) and Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman Evils and Aghori Practice and Black Magic Act, 2013 section 3 (Aghori practices).

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