Drugged, raped, blackmailed: Self-styled guru arrested for sexually exploiting women in UP

MATHURA: A 29-year-old self-styled spiritual guru was arrested for allegedly sexually exploiting educated young women by luring them with promises of spiritual guidance and better career prospects in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura district, police said on Tuesday. The accused, identified as Abhishek Mishra alias Adikarta Narayan Das (29), was arrested on Monday from his ashram-like residence in Radha Kund, according to new agency PTI. Police also rescued two young women and a man from the premises and handed them over to their families. The case came to light after a 22-year-old BSc Nursing student from Chhattisgarh lodged a complaint at Govardhan police station on May 25. The woman alleged that Mishra offered her milk, claiming that it was a "prasad" and that it contained an intoxicating substance. After drinking the milk, the woman said she lost consciousness and was allegedly raped by him, who then recorded obscene photographs and videos of her. Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar Singh said the complainant had come to Mathura to visit her elder sister, who was undergoing training with an oil PSU company and was associated with Mishra's religious group. The accused allegedly threatened the victim and later demanded Rs 5 lakh, warning that he would circulate her videos if she failed to pay. Following her complaint, an FIR was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. During an investigation, police recovered more than a dozen obscene photographs of different men and women from the accused's mobile phone. Police said that preliminary findings suggest Mishra used YouTube and other social media platforms to deliver online discourses and attract followers. Police suspect he specifically targeted educated women, including engineers and professionals employed in large companies, before allegedly exploiting and blackmailing them. Mishra, during interrogation, told police that he graduated in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Roorkee around five years ago and worked at a private company with a salary package of Rs 20 lakh per annum before moving to Mathura, where he initially started in rented premises and later purchased a house in Radha Kund. Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Suresh Chandra Rawat said legal proceedings are underway, and the accused has been sent to jail. A detailed probe into Mishra's background and his victims is on, he said.