Another godman mired in controversy
Kripalu Maharaj, who heads the Radha Madhav Society, which has around 300 centres across the world, is a frequent face on many religious TV channels, including Aastha.
Kripalu Maharaj, who heads the Radha Madhav Society, which has around 300 centres across the world, is a frequent face on many religious TV channels, including Aastha.
The 88-year-old has had his share of controversies, but none of the charges against him have ever been proved.
He was accused of rape by one of his disciples in Trinidad in May 2007.
He was charged with rape and indecent assault of a 22-year-old Guyanese woman in a room at the home of a San Fernando businessman, where he was staying at the time.
In another incident, a man filed a complaint against him in 1991 accusing the swami of kidnapping
his two daughters.
Following the complaint, the police stumbled upon at least two more allegations of rape against him, but no complaints had been registered.
The police filed an FIR against the swami, putting together all four cases of kidnapping and rape, allegedly committed between 1985 and 1991. He was, however, acquitted of these charges.
Jagatguru Kripalu Maharaj was born in Mangarh, the town where his sprawling ashram is located in.
More than 500 labourers took 14 years to construct the ashram, which was made of pink stones brought from Jaipur. The ashram has some striking features such as a huge Krishna vatika, a Radahkrishna temple, separate rooms for Indian and foreign devotees and a special room for Kripaluji Maharaj, which he uses for prayers.
The temple has gold-and silver-coloured domes. A seven-feet statue of Kripalu Maharaj, with huge portraits of his parents on either side, lies near the entrance.
The ashram also has a hospital attached to it.
