Maheshgiri alias Mahesh Kakde, a 31-year-old self-proclaimed godman, was arrested in Nashik district, Maharashtra, for sexually exploiting a 28-year-old woman. The victim, who was experiencing family issues, was taken to the Shri Datta Devsthan Mutt in Dharangaon village by her parents in 2024, where she met Maheshgiri. He falsely claimed he had divine powers to help her, convincing her that she was affected by evil forces. Over time, he began sending her obscene messages and ultimately sexually assaulted her at a lodge, taking objectionable photographs during the incident. After some activists from the Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti, an anti-superstition organization, learned of her plight, they assisted her in filing a complaint. Maheshgiri was subsequently arrested and charged with rape, as well as under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013.