Daijiworld Media Network - Muzaffarnagar (SHP)

Muzaffarnagar, Aug 21: A special court on Wednesday, denied bail to a self-styled godman who was arrested for sexually exploiting children in his ashram at Shukartal near Muzaffarnagar.

Special Judge Sanjiv Kumar Tiwari denied bail to Swami Bhakti Bhushan Maharaj, maintaining that the charges against the godman are serious and that he does not deserve a bail at this juncture.

Maharaj, the owner of an ashram at Shukartal near Muzaffarnagar was arrested in July along with his disciple Kishan Mohan Das for allegedly sexually exploiting children and forcing them to work as labourers, said prosecution counsel Dinesh Sharma.

The duo had been booked under IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 377 (unnatural offences), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and sections 5/6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The police had filed the charge-sheet against the accused earlier this month, said the prosecution counsel, adding the victim children, who belonged to Tripura and Mizoram, are presently under the protection of the Child Welfare Board.