Bangalore: Pastor Accused of Sexually Exploiting Minor Girls
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jun 17: K Shantaraju, the 45-year-old pastor of the Bethel Church and Bethel Student Centre in Siddhartha Nagar, Jalahalli West, has been accused of sexually exploiting minors and misappropriating church funds.
The charges have been levelled by his own wife Priyalatha. The Gangammanagudi police are investigating the case following a complaint from her.
“The children who were brought to the centre for the purpose of education are being used for illegal activities. Minor children are being used for sexual activities in the centre. He has sexual relationships with many girl children. I have witnessed these activities. When questioned, he threatened to kill me and my two children,” Priyalatha said in her complaint.
The couple have been married for nearly 15 years. Priyalatha said she did not file a complaint earlier as she wanted to discuss the issue with superiors, and also wanted to try and mend her husband's ways. She has even provided the police with photos of her husband with minor girls as proof of her allegations.
She alleged that he started having an affair with a minor girl who today is a major. This girl had an abortion at the age of 16, Priyalatha said, adding that there were other such girls too who he had exploited.
She has also accused him of mishandling the donations recieved from abroad by the Bethel Church and Bethel Student Centre that he inherited from his father.
Meanwhile, Shantaraju has rubbished his wife's claims saying that he has been separated from her for 11 years. However, Priyalatha denies the fact.
In a counter-allegation, he accused his wife of plotting against him to gain control over the trust. Donations to the trust have stopped ever since the allegations have started making rounds in the private circles, he said.
Regarding the photos, he said that they date back to 2005, and moreover, the girl in the picture is not a minor but is 21 years old, he said. Priyalatha, on the other hand has said that she developed the photos some years back from a camera roll.
The police have declined to comment on the matter. No arrests have been made so far. Their two daughters have been sent to Hyderabad for safety reasons. The couple are also fighting a divorce case.