Rajasthan ‘godman’ held for raping four women between 2005 & 2017 | Jaipur News

Yogendra Mehta

JAIPUR: Almost three weeks after three women of the same family filed a case of rape against a self-styled ‘godman’, the state police arrested Yogendra Mehta on Tuesday. Mehta (56) has a sprawling ashram on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway.
The main complainant and two of her sisters-in-law filed the FIR against Mehta on May 4, alleging that he had repeatedly raped them in his ashram between 2005 and 2017. A day after the FIR was filed, another woman came forward and said she too was raped by Mehta, following which her name was added to the plaint. TNN
“My husband had been a regular visitor at the ashram since 1998. Mehta had one day asked my husband to come with his entire family and that’s how I was introduced to him in 2005. Then I started visiting the ashram regularly. Initially, everything was fine and I used to stay at the ashram for three-four days every six months. During one such stay in 2005, I was called by the aides of the accused to his room. Once I was there, I was given some spiked drink and raped. Mehta repeatedly raped me in the ashram till 2017,” she said in her complaint, adding that her sisters-in-law were similarly exploited.
“Every time I objected, Mehta told me it’s a blessing and threatened me with dire consequences if I told anyone about his sexual misconduct,” she said, adding that she was forced to confide in her husband only when the ‘godman’ wanted their 20-year-old daughter to stay at the ashram for a few days.
The other complainant added in the FIR said she too was raped by Mehta many times during the same period. Not just she, the accused and his aides used to make eight-ten women stay at the ashram for “getting raped”. “Mehta’s aides are equally responsible as it is they who gave spiked drinks to the victims before raping them,” she said.
Sources said that Mehta’s arrest was not easy since many politicians and influential people were regulars at his ashram.
SHO Mukesh Choudhary of Bhakrota police station, under which the ashram falls, said in the past three weeks he collected evidence against Mehta and then called him to the police station on Tuesday for recording his statement, before arresting him.
“The investigation has started. As per the protocol, medical examinations of the victims have been done by a medical board,” Choudhary said.