Mumbai Sessions Court Rejects Astrologer’s Anticipatory Bail In ₹69.30 Lakh Cancer-Cure Fraud Case

Mumbai, October 26, 2026: A sessions court has refused to grant anticipatory bail to Rajshekhar Shashtri, a 39-year-old astrologer from Malabar Hill, who is accused of allegedly cheating a woman of Rs 69.30 lakh by promising to cure her sister’s cancer through a puja. The same accused has also been booked for allegedly cheating another family of Rs 93.47 lakh in Govandi.

Court Rejects Claim Of Professional Fees

While refusing to grant protection to the accused, the sessions court rejected his claim that the amount paid by the complainant was towards professional charges.

“The material on record goes to show that the defrauded amount in total is Rs.69.30 lakhs which is quite an exorbitant amount. Such could not be for professional services,” the court said.

Woman Alleges Fraud Over Cancer Cure Promise

The case against Shashtri was registered at Tilak Nagar police station following a complaint by Jayanti Gopalkrishnan. She alleged that she approached Rajshekhar along with his brother, Adityanath alias Babu Guruji, whose office was located in Tilak Nagar.

The complainant said she was worried about her sister, who was suffering from cancer, and that the accused assured her they could cure the disease completely.

According to the complaint, between June 2025 and June 2026, the accused obtained funds totalling Rs 69.30 lakh, including gold ornaments, for performing the puja.

The woman alleged that despite receiving the money, her sister could not be cured and eventually died. She further claimed that the gold ornaments were not returned as promised after the puja, prompting her to approach the police.

Accused Claims Payments Were For Astrology Services

Shashtri sought anticipatory bail, claiming that the amount transferred by the complainant was towards professional services and counselling. He contended that he had been practising astrology for several years and had established a professional practice. The defence argued that he had no dishonest or fraudulent intention to cheat the complainant.

Public prosecutor Pankaj Chavan opposed the plea, stating that the brothers had failed to join the investigation despite receiving notices from the police.

The prosecution also alleged that they had neither returned the funds nor cooperated with the probe. The investigation had further revealed that the brothers had shut down their astrology business, it submitted.

Similar Cheating Case In Govandi

The prosecution also pointed out that a similar offence had been registered against the brothers, who allegedly duped a businessman of Rs 93.47 lakh on the pretext of performing a religious ritual to pacify the soul of his deceased wife.

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After hearing the arguments, the court rejected the plea, observing that “to unearth facts as well as to find out the disposal of the gold ornaments the custodial interrogation of the accused is necessary.”

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