'Godman' booked for sexually exploiting woman

Jaipur:  A 70-year-old self-styled godman was today booked for allegedly sexually exploiting a 21-year-old woman hailing from Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, police said.

The woman had lodged a complaint against Kaushlendra Prapanacharya Phalahari Maharaj in Bilaspur and alleged that he sexually exploited her at his ashram located in Alwar on August 7.

“Bilaspur police have sent the complaint here. We have registered a case of sexual exploitation and initiated investigation,” SHO Aravali police station, Hemraj Meena, said. He said that they visited the ashram of the accused from where it was found that he was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Alwar.

He will be interrogated after permission from doctors, Meena said. According to the police, the accused godman had been visiting the woman’s residence for quite a long time. According to preliminary investigation, the woman had got an internship after completing her law studies. She visited the godman’s ashram on August 7 to donate some money following which he allegedly sexually exploited her.

The godman apparently has a sprawling ashram and several domestic and international devotees revere him, police said.