Pune Crime Files | How ‘godman’, ‘godwoman’ are out on bail to sell property they got via fraud

Vedika Pandharpurkar (Photo Credit: Special Arrangement)

On November 7, the police arrested Vedika Pandharpurkar, 41, her husband Kunal Pandharpurkar, 42, both residents of Kothrud in Pune city, and Deepak Janardan Khadke, 65, of Nashik. Vedika Pandharpurkar’s mother and brother were also booked in this case.

The police invoked several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, against all five accused.

Investigation of this case was transferred to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Pune city police crime branch.

The victims

As per the FIR, complainant Deepak Dolas is a highly qualified software professional who worked with a prominent company in England from 2003 to 2010. His wife, Anjali Dolas, works for an organisation focusing on the development of physically, mentally, and socially challenged individuals, the police said.

The couple has two daughters, both who suffer health disorders.

The family were residing at their own house in England. But due to difficulties in caring for the two girls, the family shifted to India in 2010.

Deepak Dolas then took up a job at a company in Hinjewadi. Later, he also purchased a new house in Kothrud and gave the old house on rent.

‘Darbar’

As stated in the FIR, Deepak Dolas and his wife joined a bhajani mandal – a group singing devotional songs – where they got introduced to self-styled Godman Khadke.

Khadke further introduced the couple to his “disciple” Vedika Pandharpurkar, claiming she was the daughter of Saint Shankar Maharaj. Khadke claimed that Shankar Maharaj’s spirit enters Vedika Pandharpurkar’s body and she can cure all illnesses of girls, the FIR alleged.

Thereafter, Khadke allegedly asked Deepak Dolas to bring his daughters to Shankar Maharaj’s “darbar” conducted at Vedika Pandharpurkar’s residence in Kothrud. Accordingly, the Dolas family attended the “darbar” several times over a few months.

As per the FIR, Vedika Pandharpurkar collected information about Deepak Dolas, his properties, bank accounts, and the medical problems of his daughters.

The fraud

The accused persons allegedly took money from Deepak Dolas on the pretext of performing “healing rituals” to cure his daughters. They allegedly made him transfer Rs 10 lakh to Vedika Pandharpurkar’s bank account, through an “agreement” dated November 1, 2018, assuring to return the money within three years with a one per cent interest per month, the FIR stated.

Later, the accused allegedly told Deepak Dolas that money in his bank accounts, his properties, including houses in England and Pune, agricultural land at his native village, insurance policies, PPF accounts, all had “big faults” and were causing problems for his daughters.

The accused allegedly told Deepak Dolas he should not maintain any money and properties in his name, as it was causing him misfortune. They allegedly made him sell his properties and transfer the sale proceeds, his bank and PPF funds to Vedika Pandharpurkar’s bank account, saying it would pass on the problems of his daughters to Vedika Pandharpurkar, and she would cure them using her “spiritual powers”. The accused even allegedly made Deepak Dolas take loans by mortgaging his jewelry.

The police said Deepak Dolas was also made to discontinue his daughters’ insurance policies, depriving the girls of insurance benefits.

Deepak Dolas has alleged that using money taken from him, Vedika Pandharpurkar allegedly purchased the Kailasdeep bungalow in Kothrud’s Mahatma society in 2024, and Khadke constructed a farmhouse in Nashik. The police said the properties were sealed and the bank accounts of the accused were frozen for investigation.

Court proceedings

The police said the accused submitted a pursis to the court in December 2025, assuring to return Rs 14.39 crore to the complainant, if they are released on a temporary bail.

On March 20, 2026, additional sessions judge P R Choudhary granted temporary bail to three accused, passing an order to de-seal two properties – “Sanvi Masale” factory at Nanded Phata in Wadgaon Dhayari and “Kailasdeep” bungalow in Kothrud.

As stated in the court order, the accused contended they had purchased these properties with the amounts received from the complainant. The order stated that the properties are de-sealed on the condition that the sale proceeds are paid to Deepak Dolas.

Advocate Vijaysinh Thombare, who represents Deepak Dolas, said, “The accused are out on temporary bail. They have not yet given the money to the victims. As per the court’s order, if the properties are not sold within 60 days, they will be sealed again.”

Thombare added that the court had directed five banks and an insurance company in February to transfer back Rs 57.59 lakh of the defrauded amount to the victim.