Self-styled godman, two women arrested for allegedly raping teacher in Delhi’s Janakpuri

The police said the self-styled godman Hari Narayan was arrested from Haldwani in Uttarakhand and the two women were arrested from Delhi on Sunday.

A self-styled godman and his woman secretary have been arrested for allegedly raping a 24-year-old private school teacher at his ashram in west Delhi’s Janakpuri in July, police said on Sunday.

The self-styled godman Hari Narayan (in picture) ran a small “spiritual centre” named Aadya Param Yog Peeth in Janakpuri, Delhi. (Sourced)

While the alleged godman, 40-year-old Hari Narayan, allegedly raped the woman after spiking her food, his secretary too assisted him in the crime and touched the woman inappropriately, Monika Bhardwaj, deputy commissioner of police (west), said.

The police have also arrested the victim’s female colleague for allegedly luring her to the ashram. “The colleague was also present at the crime scene,” said the DCP.

Police said the woman, a Uttar Pradesh resident, works at a private school. “When the woman shared some of her personal problems with her colleague, she advised her to go through a spiritual healing experience at an ashram in Janakpuri,” said an investigator.

Claiming that she too had been healed “miraculously”, the colleague allegedly recommended visiting Hari Narayan who runs a small “spiritual centre” named Aadya Param Yog Peeth in Janakpuri.

At the ashram, the duo was greeted by 38-year-old Sakshi, who had been working as Narayan’s secretary for the last four years. “Before the woman could meet Narayan, his secretary drew her into hours-long conversations, leaving her physically and mentally drained,” said an investigator quoting the victim.

The woman wanted to return home without meeting Narayan but was allegedly convinced by her colleague and the secretary to stay back at the ashram for the night.

The “healing”—which began with the woman being asked to bathe and have dinner, which, she alleged, was laced with sedatives -- started at 8.30pm. Thereafter, Narayan allegedly raped the woman in front of the secretary and the colleague.

According to the DCP, the woman wasn’t sure how to react to the offence until a week ago when she decided to write an email to the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW). The DCW officials helped the woman approach police following which a case of rape and criminal conspiracy was registered at Janakpuri police station on Friday.

The DCP said Narayan was arrested from Haldwani in Uttarakhand and the two women were arrested from Delhi on Sunday.