Bavdhan police have arrested Prasad alias Dada Bhimrao Tamdar (29), a self-proclaimed ‘Baba’ accused of secretly accessing devotees’ phones through hidden apps, spying on their private moments, and deceiving women facing infertility.
The accused exploited the guise of spirituality, claiming to possess divine powers. He targeted vulnerable devotees, especially women struggling to conceive, promising miracles while manipulating and mentally weakening them with ominous warnings such as, “You will die in four to five months.”
According to police, Tamdar would isolate devotees under the pretext of performing sacred chants and request their phones. He then installed a hidden app called ‘AirDroid Kid’ on their devices, which allowed him to remotely control the camera, microphone, and GPS.
Using this app, Tamdar was able to monitor devotees’ locations, clothing, and daily activities, building trust. Disturbingly, he also advised some young male devotees to engage in sexual acts while placing their phones at specific angles to record intimate moments without their knowledge.
The scam unraveled when one young devotee noticed his phone overheating and had a tech-savvy friend investigate. They discovered the hidden app and realized the Baba had been spying on them. Several others confirmed the same, leading to a police complaint.
On June 28, a large crowd of devotees gathered at Bavdhan Police Station, many alleging similar abuses. The accused had gained popularity on social media, particularly among women seeking fertility help, using viral messages promising blessings and pregnancies.
Senior Inspector Anil Vibhute confirmed the accused was booked under multiple sections of the IT Act and the Maharashtra Anti-Superstition Law. The police are conducting digital forensics to track where the videos were stored and continuing the investigation.
