The girl, who visited his ashram at the age of fifteen, filed a complaint alleging that the pontiff had sexually assaulted her multiple times...
Digital Desk: The pontiff of Kunigal Taluk's Vidya Chowdeshwari Peeth was taken into custody on Thursday for allegedly raping a young girl for more than seven years. In addition, his assistant was taken into custody for filming the priest in lewd ways and extorting him.
Based on a complaint lodged by a 20-year-old woman, charges have been brought against Balmanjunath Mahaswamiji of Vidya Chowdeshwari Peeth under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The girl, who visited his ashram at the age of fifteen, filed a complaint alleging that the pontiff had sexually assaulted her multiple times since 2017—even when she was a minor.
When the woman was fifteen years old, she and her father went to the Mutt for the first time in an attempt to find a solution to various health problems. To accomplish this, the pontiff gave her an "Ashtamangala prasnam" and attacked her sexually while claiming to be trying to assist her.
The victim said in her complaint that he later made her attend his video chats, during which he allegedly asked her to take off her clothes in order to "please" him.
Based on a complaint, the police filed a case under the IT Act, the Protection of Children from the Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and sections 376 (rape), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with a purpose to outrage her modesty), and other pertinent provisions.
Notably, the priest also complained to Tumakuru cyber police, claiming that five people, including his aide, had surreptitiously recorded pornographic films of him and were attempting to blackmail him for money. This was reported by HT.
The six persons were accused by the police of blackmailing and extortion in addition to violating several IT Act provisions, based on the complaint.
