Police arrested Anwarullah Khan alias Disco Baba, a self-proclaimed unani doctor and many more.
Sixteen persons, who allegedly indulged in sorcery, were on Tuesday caught from different parts of Old City in Hyderabad, police said.
According to police, the black magicians were extracting money from innocent people by claiming to have extraordinary powers.
Under Santosh Nagar Police Station, police arrested one Anwarullah Khan alias Disco Baba, a self-proclaimed unani doctor, who had collected Rs 35 lakh from one Syed Iftekar Hussain last year, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South Zone) V Satyanarayana said.
Anwarullah Khan told Mr Hussain, who had suffered losses in business that there was a treasure hidden in his house and he would perform black magic and take out the riches.
Accordingly, he performed some prayers inside Mr Hussain's house at Riyasathnagar and tactfully planted fake gold biscuits and diamonds there, while continuing to involve his family members in the rituals, the DCP said.
According to the officer, Disco Baba performed black magic to "unearth hidden treasure" in the house. He stated that they are the treasured pure gold and diamonds. Believing them to be pure and original old gold biscuits and diamonds, Mr Hussain paid Rs 35 lakh to him periodically in cash.
"However, later on, he got suspicious and found that it was fake gold and diamonds and as such Anwarullah Khan had duped him. He requested to return the money, but was threatened with dire consequences," the police officer said based on the complaint.
Similarly, in another case reported under Kanchanbagh police station limits, a man lodged a complaint last night stating that one tantrik Faiyaz Mehmood Ansari, had abducted his son and wrongfully confined and attempted to kill him as the tantrik co-habited deceitfully, dishonestly inducing his wife.
According to the complainant, "the tantrik had injured, stabbed his son with a sharp laser blade on the back, stomach, fingers of his foot, pressed his throat, poured hot water on him, kept him nude for several hours and days and forced him to kneel down in the late night hours."
Police have registered cases under relevant sections of IPC besides under relevant provisions of Drugs & Magic remedies Act 1954, Sec 23 of Juvenile Justice Act and has taken up the investigation.
South Zone Police conducted cordon and search operation on sorcery dens in various localities and took into custody 14 others and registered seven cases, the DCP added.