Self-styled godman Daati Maharaj, accused of raping disciple, grilled for 7 hours

New Delhi: Delhi Police, on Tuesday, questioned self-styled godman Daati Maharaj, accused of raping a disciple in his ashrams, for over seven hours.

A woman, in her complaint filed last Sunday in south Delhi, alleged that Daati Maharaj repeatedly raped her at his ashrams in Delhi and Rajasthan two years ago.

Police said, during the questioning that began at around 2:30 pm on Tuesday, he was grilled on the allegations levelled against him by the woman and whether he knew her. The woman has also named two male disciples of the saffron-clad man in her complaint. She said that she was raped at Gurukul Ashwasan in Rajasthan's Bal Gram, adding that she did not file a complaint earlier as she felt intimidated by the self-styled godman.

Daati Maharaj denied these allegations, police said. A senior police officer said that he has been asked to appear again for questioning on Friday.

Read: Won't blame 'daughter' even if I'm hanged: Rape accused Daati Maharaj

Last Saturday, a Delhi Police team had visited his ashram in Rajasthan's Pali to gather evidence. The team, which failed to find him at the ashram, was accompanied by the woman. "I had already mentioned to all of you that I am a worker of this nation. I am not an absconder. Whenever they will call me I will always come and cooperate with them," he told reporters on Tuesday.

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) had recently sought reasons for the delay in arresting the self-styled godman.

Police had earlier issued a lookout circular against Daati Maharaj to ensure that he does not leave the country.

The woman has told the police that she had been a disciple of Daati Maharaj for a decade but after she was raped by him, she returned to her home in Rajasthan.

On Tuesday, Yoga guru Ramdev said that self-styled godmen involved in illegal activities should be hanged to death for violating the limits of their work. "Whoever violates those limits should not only be sent to jail, but should be hanged till death. There should not be any compromise on this," Baba Ramdev said.

Also Read: Hang godmen involved in illegal activities, says Baba Ramdev