Minor girl testifies against self-styled godman, reiterates rape

Testifying against her tormentor before the court of additional district and sessions judge SS Sahni, a 17-year-old rape victim reiterated that self-styled godman Mahavir, alias Sant Ram Rishi, had raped her thrice inside his ashram.

Testifying against her tormentor before the court of additional district and sessions judge SS Sahni, a 17-year-old rape victim reiterated that self-styled godman Mahavir, alias Sant Ram Rishi, had raped her thrice inside his ashram.

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The statement of the victim was recorded during in-camera proceedings, in which she stood by her allegations.

The UT police had arrested self-styled godman (the head of Valmiki Ashram in the PGI), 47-year-old Mahavir alias Sant Ram Rishi, on May 15, 2013, for raping the victim. The victim had accused Mahavir of raping her inside his ashram thrice on May 3, 2013.

In her complaint to the police, she had also accused Mahavir of threatening her. The accused had even gone to her home in Daddu Majra to pick her up when she finally reported the matter to the police on May 15.

The accused was arrested from his ashram in the PGI by the Sector-11 police. A case under sections 376 and 506 of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act has been registered against him. The court had already framed charges of rape on August 2, 2013.