Government officer arrested for forcing wife into black magic

By Sagaya Fernando | April 17, 2025

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Maharashtra, India: In a disturbing case from the Indian state of Maharashtra, a senior government officer has been arrested for allegedly subjecting his wife to brutal physical abuse, threatening her with a firearm, and forcing her into black magic rituals in a desperate attempt to conceive a child.

The accused, Avinash Shembatwad, 34, a Tehsildar (revenue officer) currently posted in Dhanora -- a Naxal-affected region in Gadchiroli district -- was arrested by Nanded Police on April 13. The arrest followed a detailed complaint by his wife, who accused Shembatwad of sustained domestic violence and coercion involving superstitious practices, despite his status as a highly educated public servant.

A Shocking Use of Superstition by a Civil Servant

According to police reports and the wife’s formal complaint, Shembatwad, a native of Nanded, married the complainant a year and a half ago in a traditional and well-attended ceremony. Despite the apparent stability and respect associated with his government position, the woman claims that the marriage quickly turned abusive, primarily due to her inability to conceive.

The complaint details how Shembatwad, with the support of his parents and two brothers began mentally and physically torturing her, pressuring her to participate in black magic rituals believed to aid in fertility. When she resisted, Shembatwad allegedly threatened her with a pistol, and at one point assaulted her with intent to kill.

The woman eventually fled to her parental home in Nanded and filed a complaint at Shivajinagar Police Station. Based on her testimony, police registered charges on March 11 under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)—India’s newly implemented criminal code—as well as the Domestic Violence Act and the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act.

Legal and Social Fallout

Following confirmation of his presence in Nanded, police arrested Shembatwad on April 13 and presented him before a local magistrate. He has since been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody, and the investigation continues under the supervision of Police Inspector Jalindar Tandale.

This case has sparked widespread outrage and debate, not only because of the severity of the abuse, but also due to the hypocrisy of a government official—entrusted with law and order—resorting to superstitious and illegal practices. Maharashtra is one of the few Indian states with a specific law against superstition and black magic, a response to long-standing issues of exploitation and abuse under the guise of rituals.

A Call for Stricter Enforcement

Legal experts and activists are now calling for stricter enforcement of anti-superstition laws, especially in rural and tribal regions where such practices are still prevalent. The fact that a highly educated officer like Shembatwad could believe in and force others into such acts highlights the urgent need for awareness and cultural reform, even among the country’s educated elite.

Meanwhile, women’s rights organizations have come out in support of the victim, praising her courage to speak out against her influential husband. "This case is a tragic reminder that education and power do not always translate into rational thinking or humane behavior," said one activist based in Mumbai.

The investigation is ongoing, and police have not ruled out additional arrests.