New Delhi: Cricketer Virat Kohli’s spokesperson has denied claims that the former India men’s captain was paid Rs 5 crore to visit spiritual leader Premanand Maharaj’s ashram in Vrindavan.
The spokesperson dismissed the allegation as “completely false, baseless and factually incorrect”.
“We would like to categorically state that the claims made by Falahari Maharaj Dinesh Sharma in regards to Mr. Virat Kohli are completely false, baseless and factually incorrect,” the statement read.
The clarification comes after reports and social media posts carried an allegation by Dinesh Sharma, president of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Sangharsh Nyas, who claimed that Rs 5 crore was spent to bring Kohli to Premanand Maharaj’s ashram.
No publicly available payment record, contract or other evidence has emerged to show that Kohli was paid money for the visit.
The spokesperson added that Kohli’s visits to Premanand Maharaj were driven by his personal faith and respect for the spiritual leader.
“Mr. Virat Kohli visits Premanand Maharaj Ji purely out of his deep faith and reverence for Maharaj Ji,” the statement read.
Kohli and his wife, actor Anushka Sharma, have visited Premanand Maharaj in Vrindavan several times. Their first visit was in January 2023, and the couple have since returned to the ashram on multiple occasions, including around IPL matches and during their trips to India from London.
Their visits have repeatedly attracted attention on the internet, with videos from the ashram often going viral. The couple’s most recent visit was on 22 July, when they were seen walking barefoot at the ashram to seek Premanand Maharaj’s blessings.
Kohli was last seen in ODI cricket action during the home series against the West Indies. It ended last week in New Chandigarh, with India clinching a 2-1 win.
He starred in the series with his unbeaten 139 in the series opener in Kerala, following which he became the first batter to the milestone of 15,000 ODI runs. However, he registered a score of 29 and a duck in the next two matches.
(Edited by Stela Dey)