Investigation Links Cleric to Serial Rape Cases, Leads to Police Misconduct Probe

A comprehensive probe by Karnataka police has tied priest Satish Patri to a series of sexual assaults masquerading as rituals to expel evil entities. The suspect allegedly targeted a woman, promising liberation from a haunting, and escorted her first to a temple in Medanahkalu village, then later to a location near Kuduregundi, Thirthahalli, where he repeated the crime. Following a formal complaint, Patri evaded capture for roughly thirty days until officers from Koppa station located him in JP Nagar, Bangalore. During the investigation, it emerged that Constable Kantesh of NR Pura had disclosed investigative details to the priest, enabling him to change hideouts. As a result, SP Jitendra Kumar Dayama ordered the constable’s suspension. The case proceeds under the Karnataka Anti‑Human Sacrilege and Black Magic Prevention Act of 2017 alongside standard rape legislation.