Poornanda Swami was arrested on Monday. (News18)
According to the police, the girl (15) is a native of Rajamahendravaram and her parents died when she was a kid. Her relatives took her in till she passed out of primary school, post which they made her join Gyanananda Ashram
Andhra Pradesh police booked Poornanda Swami, organizer of Gyanananda Ashram in Kotha Venkojipalem in Visakhapatnam, under the POCSO act, after a minor girl alleged him of raping her for the past two years when she was working in the Ashram.
The Godman has been arrested on Monday based on the complaint.
According to the police, the girl (15) is a native of Rajamahendravaram and her parents died when she was a kid. Her relatives took her in till she passed out of primary school, post which they made her join Gyanananda Ashram.
Poornananda Swamiji, the organizer of the ashram made her feed the cows and remove the cow wastage.
The girl alleged that Swami later took her to his room at midnight and raped her.
The girl further added that he tied her with chains in his room and physically assaulted her when she refused to accept his sexual advances.
During the alleged assault, the girl was given only two spoons of rice mixed with water and was allowed to bathe once a fortnight.
She also alleged that she was not allowed to go to the washroom and was made to urinate in a bucket. The girl was tortured in the same manner for two years, the minor said in her complaint.
Unable to bear the torture, the minor girl fled the ashram with the help of a working maid on June 13.
She took Tirumala Express and explained her ordeals to a woman passenger.
The woman tried to admit the girl in a hostel at Kankipadu in Krishna district two days ago but the hostel organisers refused to take the girl in without a letter from the police station.
The minor girl and the woman then approached Kankipadu Police Station where she was referred to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC.
The members of the CWC sent her to Disha police station at Vijayawada where the police booked a case against the Swamiji under the POCSO act.
Later the girl was sent to Vijayawada’s old government hospital for medical tests.
On the other hand, the police personnel at Visakhapatnam arrested the Swamiji on Monday.
The swami has denied any wrongdoing and claimed that some people were trying to conspire against him to grab the lands of the ashram.
