By Shyam Pandharipande, Indo Asian News Service
Nagpur, May 25 (IANS) Every saint has a past; every sinner, a future, goes a maxim. Kripalu Maharaj, an 85-year-old Hindu spiritual guru, charged with raping a 22-year old Guyanese woman in south Trinidad Sunday, has a similar case pending against him in the high court here.
Setting up an ashram near this city in central India in 1984, Kripalu Maharaj, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, attracted considerable following in the region. All was hunky dory for the swami until an elderly man filed a complaint against him in 1991 that Maharaj had kidnapped his two major daughters.
Following the complaint, the police came to know of at least two earlier cases of rape in which complaints were not registered, public prosecutor Prashant Sathiyanathan recalls.
The police filed a common first information report (FIR) against the swami putting together all four cases of kidnapping and rape allegedly committed over a period from 1985-91, Sathiyanathan told IANS.
The swami contested the charges, first in the high court and then in the Supreme Court, which asked the police to file a separate FIR for each case in the lower court.
The two major sisters, meanwhile, stated in the court that they stayed and had sex with the swami regularly of their own volition, that he was the incarnation of Lord Krishna and that they were his disciples.
Even as another case of rape on a minor girl was filed against the swami, the two disciple sisters quietly retreated from the ashram and, it was reported subsequently that they were happily married.
The 12-year old girl, whose father had complained of unnatural sex and rape on his daughter, too testified in the court that the swami had sex with her every time her parents took her to him. The court wondered how a minor girl could go to a man again and again if he had sex with her and how come it didn't hurt. The medical reports too went in favour of the swami, who was acquitted of all the charges.
The high court, before which the prosecution has preferred an appeal against the acquittal in 2005, had the swami deposit his passport, restraining him from leaving the country.
Later however, the court allowed the swami's application seeking permission to go abroad citing ill-health. The case awaits final hearing for which the date is yet to be fixed, Sathiyanathan said.
(Shyam Pandharipande can be contacted at shyam.pandharipande@gmail.com)
Indo-Asian News Service
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Regarding the fabricated allegations towards Jagadguru Shree Kripalu ji Maharaj in Trinidad
Dear Friends,
Jai Shree Radhey!
The disciples of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj across the U.S. feel compelled to release this statement regarding the charges that have been filed in Trinidad against our beloved Spiritual Master.
The allegations are false and will be simply and conclusively disproved. As this is now a judicial matter, these facts will be revealed in court as the legal system of Trinidad mandates. For the people responsible for fabricating this unfortunate and defamatory scenario we can only feel pity that personal greed and political ambitions have driven them to such a terrible and hurtful act of trying to defame a great spiritual leader and shake the faith of Hindus in their Divine religion and greatest Saints.
We also must point out and condemn the misrepresentation of facts and bias shown against Shree Kriapluji in the media. It is an unfortunate reality of our time that sensationalizing situations to increase readership has become common practice. The reporting of this event has been irresponsible and opportunistic, and shows a disturbing lack of journalistic integrity such as: omitting key facts, slanting others, using partial quotes out of context, neglecting to mention conflicting and contradictory allegations, instead highlighting inflammatory remarks and completely uniformed opinions. These initial biased media releases have generated even less informed yet increasingly biased writings being posted online.
In response to this, the outpouring of support for Shree Kriapluji we have received from so many of you has been heartening. It is unfortunate however, that some have been so easily manipulated into passing judgment on such an important and revered Hindu leader with only a capricious allegation of an unknown girl, instead of giving him even the basic presumption of innocence anyone should receive before a matter is settled in court.
This small and insignificant event will not leave a mark on such a Divine personality, who at 84 years of age continues to untiringly work to uplift humanity towards the goal of life, God realization. Unaffected by the media attention, Shree Kriapluji continues to grace the devotees of Trinidad with his satsang, Divine guidance and spiritual teachings.
Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj has spent the last six decades selflessly serving society. In 1957, Shree Maharajji was awarded the title of Jagadguru, the highest religious title in India, by the Kashi Vidvat Parishad, the most learned body of religious scholars. Since that time until now he has been establishing ashrams, temples, schools and charitable hospitals, traveling throughout India enlightening the tens of thousands who throng to hear his discourses and personally looking after the spiritual welfare of his followers.
He is adored by multitudes around the world whose lives have been positively transformed by his guidance, his association, and the practice of his profound teachings.
It is with unflinching faith that we remain in his service and dedicated to spreading his teachings throughout the world,
Barsana Dham Ashram Management Committee:
Sushree Diwakari Devi
Sushree Prabhakari Devi
Dr. Harish Parikh
Kishori Das
Jaresha Auxier
Raj Goel
[Note: some media are referring to Shree Maharajji as Swamy Kripalu Maharaj or Swami Ram Tripathi, etc. His official title is Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj.]
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