Godman 'Mirchi baba' arrested for raping devotee in Bhopal

Bhopal/Gwalior: Self-styled godman Swami Vairagyanand Giri alias Mirchi Baba has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman devotee in Madhya Pradesh's capital Bhopal, police said on Tuesday.

The accused godman was arrested from a hotel in Gwalior in the morning, Gwalior superintendent of police Amit Sanghi said.

Based on a complaint lodged by a woman devotee, a case has been registered against Giri under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code, additional commissioner of police (ACP) Richa Choubey said.

The godman was produced in court in Bhopal and has been remanded to judicial custody till August 22.

According to the complaint lodged on Monday, the accused godman had raped the woman in Bhopal on July 17, she said.

The complainant said that she had been childless for a long time after marriage and had come in contact with Giri, who promised that she would conceive through some rituals, the official said.

The woman has alleged that the godman raped her when she fainted after consuming an offering given by him, she said.

The victim has claimed that she could not lodge a complaint immediately after the incident out of fear of social stigma, the official said.

Notably, Giri had supported the Congress in the last state Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

The godman had organised a yagna for the victory of Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh in the Lok Sabha polls and had announced to take "samadhi" (entombment) following a failed prediction of his victory.