New Delhi: Self-styled godman Ashu Maharaj was arrested on Thursday night for allegedly raping a woman and her minor daughter at his Hauz Khas ashram in the national capital, police said. His son Samar Khan was also detained by the Crime Branch for raping the woman, Additional Commissioner of Police (crime) Rajiv Ranjan said.
“There is sufficient evidence against him. So, he is being arrested. His son is not being arrested now,” said Ranjan.
The two accused were questioned for a couple of hours in connection with the case, added the police.
In her complaint to the police, the woman had claimed that she was raped by the self-styled godman, his friends and his son between 2008 and 2013, a police officer said. She had alleged that he even asked her to bring her minor daughter to him and then raped her, he said.
A case had been registered in the Hauz Khas Police Station on September 10 and the probe was transferred to the Delhi Police Crime Branch on Sunday.
The cases were registered under section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.
This is the second case of a self-styled godman being nabbed for allegedly molesting a woman. Earlier in September this year, self-styled godman Nabbe Das was arrested by Delhi Police for allegedly molesting and threatening to kill a girl. He was held under the POCSO Act after a woman filed a complaint on August 30 that Das molested her niece on August 17.
She even alleged that he threatened to kill her. An investigation into the case is underway.
Bureau Report
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