Yogendra Mehta, Self-Styled Godman, Arrested for Allegedly Raping 4 Women in His Jaipur Ashram
Police in Rajasthan have arrested Yogendra Mehta, a self-styled godman, in connection with at least four cases of rape between 2005 and 2017.
Jaipur, May 26: Police in Rajasthan have arrested Yogendra Mehta, a self-styled godman, in connection with at least four cases of rape between 2005 and 2017. Yogendra Mehta, also known as Tapaswi Baba, owns a sprawling ashram on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway. He was arrested by the Jaipur police after three women of the same family and another woman lodged complaint alleging that the so-called godman had repeatedly raped them. Narayan Sai Found Guilty: From Asaram to Gurmeet Ram Rahim, Here's A List of 'Godmen' Convicted For Rape.
In their complaint, a 45-year-old woman and two of her sisters-in law alleged that Mehta had repeatedly raped them in his ashram between 2005 and 2017. The woman said she had become a regular visitor to the ashram since 2005. She used to stay at the ashram for a couple days every six months. "During one such stay in 2005, I was called by the aides of the accused to his room. Once I was there, I was given some spiked drink and raped. Mehta repeatedly raped me in the ashram till 2017," she said in her complaint. Buddha Boy, Self-Styled Godman in Nepal, Under Scanner For Disappearance of Devotees.
Mehta would threated the woman with dire consequences if she reveals anything about his sexual misconduct, the complainant said, adding that her sisters-in-law were also raped by Mehta in the ashram. The woman finally revealed everything before her husband after the "godman" started insisting the couple to let their 20-year-old daughter to stay at the ashram for a few days.
Based on the complaint of the woman and her two sisters-in law, an FIR was registered against Mehta on May 4. A day after the FIR was filed, another woman came forward and said she too was raped by Mehta. She revealed that Mehta's aides would make eight-ten women stay at the ashram for "getting raped". "Mehta’s aides are equally responsible as it is they who gave spiked drinks to the victims before raping them," she was quoted as saying.
According to SHO Mukesh Choudhary of Bhakrota police station, under which the ashram falls, cops first gathered evidence against Mehta and then called him to record statement. He was subsequently arrested.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 26, 2021 05:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).