Four held in Swaminarayan sect sex scandal

NDTV News (Ahmedabad)/February 15, 2005

Gujarat police's crime branch has arrested four people in the Swaminarayan Sect's Varthal Seat sex scandal.

Nearly six months ago, CDs shocked Gujarat showing sadhus from the Swaminarayan sect's Varthal seat having sex with some women.

Sadhu arrested

On Tuesday, the Gujarat police's crime branch has arrested Swami Bhaktaswaroop, who was one of the sadhus exposed in the sex CDs.

Three devotees who had organised the sting operation have also been arrested. They had filmed the CDs to embarrass the sadhus to defeat them in the race to the sub-sect's top post.

"These people organised the women who were lured with money and it's through them that they sent the cameras to the sadhus," said D G Vanjara, ACP, Crime Branch, Ahmedabad.

Hunt on for seven others

But even as the police went to arrest the Junagadh-based sadhu, they found in his possession pornographic literature, CDs and condoms - something they say, will now be used as evidence against him.

"When we searched his place we recovered all this. This just shows the what sort of man the sadhu was," said D G Vanjara, ACP, Crime Branch, Ahmedabad.

The police are now on the look out for seven others including some of the other sadhus exposed on camera.