Nepal: Controversial spiritual leader ‘Buddha Boy’ arrested

CIB of Nepal Police has confiscated 30.3 million Nepali rupees and 3.092 million in foreign currencies from the arrested "Buddha Boy" in Kathmandu

Kathmandu: The on-the-run controversial spiritual leader Ram Bahadur Bomjan was arrested by the CIB from a house on the outskirts of Kathmandu on Tuesday evening.

The Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police has confiscated 30.3 million Nepali rupees and 3.092 million in foreign currencies from the arrested “Buddha Boy” in Kathmandu.

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On Wednesday, the police made the controversial spiritual leader public.

The 34-year-old, originally named as Ram Lal Bomjan who since 2005 has been known as “Buddha Boy” or reincarnation of Gautam Buddha, is charged with rape and forceful disappearance at various police stations in the Himalayan Nation.

Issuing a press release on Wednesday, the police stated that a key to an SUV, billbooks of three two-wheelers, and multiple electronic devices–laptops, pen drives, iPads, and tablets, mobile phones–were also seized during the search.

The in the day flew Bomjan to Sarlahi District Court for further hearing where a trial is set to start.

Earlier in July 2020, the District Court in Sarlahi registered a case of sexual exploitation filed by a minor female disciple (aged 15 at the time). As per the charge sheet, the incident took place at the ashram in Pattharkot, Sarlahi.

The victim accused Bomjan of rape at night on August 4, 2016. The minor also stated that she kept it hidden after receiving threats from Bomjan to not relay the incident to others otherwise she would face the consequences.

Soon after the filing of the complaint, the Police discovered that four of his disciples had also gone missing from his Ashram. On June, 2020, a joint team from CIB, Bagmati Provincial Police and District Police Offices in Kavre, Sindhupalchowk and Sarlahi had conducted raid at his ashram in Pairey, Sindhuli but could not locate him.

Bomjan came to the attention of the public in 2005 after he claimed of meditating for months without foods, water or sleep. Soon after his meditation was over he set up ashrams in Bara, Sarlahi, Sindhupalchowk and Sindhuli Districts.

Apart from the sexual exploitation charges, the dubbed “Buddha Boy” has also been charged with disappearance of five people- his disciples in different districts.

A local news portal, Setopati.com had reported the incident in series which unearthed the incidents that took place inside the ashrams of claimed spiritual leader.