By Gurbir Singh:
An Indian ‘spiritual leader’ Anand Giri, 38, has been arrested in Sydney before he could fly overseas, for allegedly indecently assaulting a women in 2016 & another one two years later.
This self-proclaimed swami was due to return to India today (Monday) after a six week tour teaching spiritual discourses and yoga, but was arrested just after 12.35am on Sunday morning and remanded in custody.
According to Nine News, Giri was taken to Riverstone Police Station and charged with two counts of committing an act of indecency with two women separately who invited him into their home for prayers.
He appeared in court dressed in his trademark orange attire on Sunday and the Magistrate refused his bail request.
Giri will remain behind bars until his next court appearance on June 26.
Police charges allege that on New Year’s Day in 2016 he went to a Rooty Hill home in Sydney to participate in Hindu prayers and allegedly indecently assaulted a 29-year-old woman in their bedroom.
Two years later in November 2018, Giri again allegedly indecently assaulted a 34-year-old woman in the lounge of her home where they were participating in a night-long prayers.
Giri’s website describes him as ‘a spiritual leader committed to serving the society & inspiring people through his work and wisdom’.
During his Australia visit, discourses and Yoga sessions were organised to ‘enrich your Body, Mind and Soul’
As a ‘swami’, Giri has been popular with politicians also, including several BJP leaders.
His Facebook page photos boasts his proximity to many such disciples who are seen to be seeking his ‘blessings’.
Giri is not the first Indian ‘spiritual’ guru or swami to be arrested.
In recent years, several of these self proclaimed gurus have been convicted for similar or more heinous crimes and these include Gurmeet Ram Rahim, Asaram, Virendra Dikshit, Rampal, Nithiyananda to name a few.
