Another 'godman' in trouble, young woman alleges rape

Jaipur, Sep 21 : Rajasthan's Kaushlendra Prapannacharya 'Falahari' Maharaj has run into trouble as a young woman allegedly raped by the self-styled godman reached Alwar and got her police statement recorded on Thursday, police said.

The 21-year-old woman from Chhattisgarh claimed rape by the 70-year-old baba at his ashram in Alwar in Rajasthan on August 7.

Her family is baba's follower for over 15 years and claimed to have given large donations to the godman.

Facing sexual assault accusations, the baba remains admitted in an Intensive Care Unit of a private hospital in Alwar since Wednesday under police security.

The baba has followers both in India and abroad.

"We recorded her statement and took her to the ashram to identify the room where the crime occurred and the baba's disciple who dropped her at the Alwar railway station thereafter," Superintendent of Police Rahul Prakash told IANS.

He said police will take up further investigations on Friday.

Police has sealed the godman's room, in front of which he sat on a throne and delivered sermons to his followers.

A zero first information report was filed by the woman at Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, which has been transferred to Alwar's Aravali Vihar police station.

The case comes in the wake of the conviction of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by a Panchkula Special Court on August 25 for the rape of two of his female devotees.