Indo-Asian News Service/July 28, 2007
By Paras Ramoutar
By Paras Ramoutar
Port-of-Spain - A local court has dismissed rape charges against an 85-year-old Indian Hindu religious leader after police announced that there was no evidence supporting the case.
Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, who is from Uttar Pradesh, was charged in May with the rape of a 22-year-old Guyanese woman at his centre in Phillipne, south Trinidad. In her police complaint the woman said she had gone to seek spiritual assistance and guidance from the swami when she was raped.
The local court dismissed the charges against the swami after police said the case was false.
The swami was defended by one of Trinidad's top lawyers, Prakash Ramadhar.
Last month, the swami was allowed to leave Trinidad to conduct his world tour preaching Hinduism. His Indian passport had been originally seized.
He had spent several hours in police custody following the rape charges.
The swami will continue his original religious programme here for a couple of weeks before returning to India. He is accompanied by his wife and daughters.
