Bhaiyyu Maharaj committed suicide as he was being blackmailed by woman disciple, say police

In a sensational disclosure, the Madhya Pradesh Police on Saturday said that self-styled godman Bhaiyyu Maharaj had committed suicide because he was being blackmailed by a woman disciple with a rape complaint. The police have arrested three people – his personal secretary Palak Puranik (25), Vinayak Dudhade (42) and Sharad Deshmukh (34), for abetment to suicide. All the three accused have been remanded to 15 days police custody by a local court.

Deputy Inspector General of Police H C Mishra on Saturday said Puranik was blackmailing the godman and pressuring him to marry her. "She and her aides were giving high doses of medicines to Bhaiyyu Maharaj, which was affecting his mental health," Mishra told reporters.

The model-turned-godman, whose real name is Uday Singh Deshmukh, had shot himself dead on June 12 last year at his residence.

According to the cop, the accused were giving these medicines to Bhaiyyu so that they could have control over him. "We have records of a very objectionable social media chat between Maharaj and the woman, as well as other digital evidences," he said.

Puranik had threatened Bhaiyyu Maharaj that if they didn't marry on June 16 last year, she would lodge a police complaint and defame him, the cop said.