Mathura man arrested for raping woman after fake promise of meeting with Premanand Maharaj

Mathura (UP), Oct 12 (PTI) Police have arrested a man accused of raping a woman by luring her with the promise of a private meeting with Premanand Maharaj in Vrindavan, officials said on Sunday.

The accused, identified as Sundaram, a resident of Radha Niwas, befriended the woman from Agra on social media, they said. She was a follower of the spiritual leader.

Kotwali SHO Sanjay Pandey said the incident took place on September 12.

On August 10, the accused messaged her, saying he could facilitate a private meeting with Premanand Maharaj, and later, on September 12, informed her that the arrangement had been finalised, Pandey said.

According to police, the woman arrived in Vrindavan with her brother. Sundaram asked the brother to wait in a parking area, saying vehicles could not go further, and took the woman on his motorcycle, ostensibly to meet the seer, police said.

However, instead of taking her to the ashram, he took her to a hotel named Radhakrishna Dham, offered her coffee, and allegedly added an intoxicant to it. The victim lost consciousness, after which the accused allegedly raped her and recorded objectionable photos and videos, Pandey said.

He later allegedly threatened to make the content viral and raped her multiple times, the SHO said.

The woman, deeply traumatised by the incident, lodged a complaint three days ago. Acting on surveillance inputs, police arrested Sundaram on Saturday afternoon from Deoraha Baba Ghat Road and produced him before a court, which sent him to judicial custody, Pandey added.

The officials said the investigation is underway and efforts are being made to collect digital evidence related to the crime. PTI COR CDN PRK PRK