Bangalore: Pastor Accused of Sexual Abuse Arrested for Harassment
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jun 19: Pastor Shantaraju, who is facing allegations from his wife of sexually explotiing minors, was arrested by the Gangammanagudi police on Saturday June 18.
The police, however, have arrested him on charges of harassment and criminal intimidation of his wife, and not sexual abuse.
Shantaraju's wife, Priyalatha had accused him of having sexual relationship with minor girls of Bethel Church and Bethel Student Centre at Jalahalli, and had even claimed that he was misappropriating the church funds.
He was arrested close to his home and will be produced before the magistrate.
Earlier, an 18-year-old girl at the centre had revealed to the police that the pastor was in a relationship with another girl and had even asked sexual favours from other girls at the center. He would take the girl inside his room and ask other girls to stand guard, she said. Another girl said that the pastor used to even take their photos on his cell phone without their permission and later morph them in obscene ways.
Priyalatha had also alleged that a girl at the centre had undergone abortion at the age of 16, and that there were other such girls too. He had threatened to kill her and their children, she had said in her complaint.