India’s 'Falahari Baba' charged with rape

At a time when self-declared godmen and "saints" are in the public glare, the famed "Falahari Baba" in Rajasthan has been charged with raping a 21-year-old woman at his ashram, reports NDTV.

Because of his reported fruits-only diet, Kaushlendra Prapannacharya Falahari Maharaj, 70, has been seen in photographs with top political leaders and celebrities, the Indian online news portal reported.

The woman, whose parents have been followers of Falahari Baba for years, has alleged that she was assaulted at his lavish ashram in Rajasthan's Alwar on August 7. She was allegedly told that the Baba couldn't meet anyone during an "eclipse" and asked to stay the night. The woman has told police that the Baba called her at night to his room and assaulted her.

The woman broke her silence when another high profile guru, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, was facing rape charges in court. Ram Rahim is now serving a 20-year jail term for raping two followers.

Falahari Baba had been visiting the woman's home for some time, investigations so far have revealed.

The parents went to the police and filed a case when the woman told them the Baba raped and threatened her, Archana Jha, a police officer in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur, told NDTV.