In a shocking case, a 60-year man allegedly raped his daughter repeatedly over a span of nine years at the behest of an occultist, who said the act would bring prosperity to the family.

The 21-year-old victim, who had been silent about the incident, mustered courage to approach the police after her businessman-father attempted to rape her 15-year-old younger sister.

Besides the father, the Mira Road police in Thane district have arrested the victim's mother for abetting the crime and also the occultist, Hasmukh Rathod. The identity of the family has been withheld by police.

According to the police, the husband and wife were under the influence of the occultist, who told them in July 2000 that the family would prosper if the father were to have a sexual relationship with his elder daughter, who was then 12.

The victim told the police that she could not muster the courage to approach anyone about the incident. But when her father attempted to rape her younger sister, she approached her maternal uncle, after which a police complaint was filed, according to Additional Superintendent of Police Sashikant Mahavarkar.