Phalahari Maharaj – a self-styled godman gets life imprisonment for sexual assault

Kaushlendra Prapanacharya Phalahari Maharaj- a self-proclaimed godman has been sentenced to life in prison by a Rajasthan court for sexually assaulting a 21-year-old woman. Additional Sessions Judge Rajendra Sharma of Alwar’s District and Sessions Court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on him.

Last year, the victim, a resident of Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, had filed a complaint, alleging the godman of sexually assaulting her when she visited his ashram to donate money. She had got an internship after completing her law studies and visited the ashram on August 7 last year.

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Following her complaint, Alwar police had registered a case against the godman under IPC sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) and arrested him on September 20 last year.

Prior to his arrest, the police had thoroughly searched his room at his ashram in Alwar and seized laptops, CDs and other gadgets and CCTV camera grabs.

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The police presented the chargesheet in the court in October last year. The accused had got himself admitted to a private hospital to evade arrest after the woman lodged the complaint against him.