New Delhi: Self-styled tantrik "Bengali Baba" has been arrested for duping several women under the guise of solving their personal issues, especially those related to love marriages and extramarital affairs, a Delhi Police official said on Sunday.

A resident of Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, Harun, 37, a.k.a 'Bengali Baba' used to place advertisements in newspapers, presenting himself as a "Tantrik Baba" capable of resolving family disputes, relationship problems, and even business issues.

"His bold move involved prominently featuring his mobile number, attracting desperate and superstitious people seeking solutions to their woes,” said a Delhi Police official.

Once contacted, Harun assured his victims of foolproof solutions to their problems, requesting them to transfer money online through various UPI accounts.

“Subsequently, he initiated a ritualistic act over phone calls, reciting mantras to create an illusion that their issues were being addressed. However, this was merely a charade,” said the official.

As days passed without any positive changes in the victims' lives, they reached out to Harun again, only to face demands for more money.

When some refused to comply, Harun resorted to threatening them, even going as far as threatening harm to their family members.

Harun's criminal activities first came to light in 2018 when he was booked for cheating at the Safdarjung Enclave police station. By 2019, the Saket Court had declared him a proclaimed offender, adding to the list of pending cases against him.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Southwest, Rohit Meena said: "Keeping in view the pending cases of proclaimed offenders who are evading the process of law, we constituted a team which launched an operation to apprehend the POs who are evading criminal liabilities."

Following a tip-off, the police successfully tracked down Harun, bringing an end to his four years of elusiveness.

"He has been taken into custody and will face charges related to cheating, extortion, and making threats," the DCP said.

(IANS)