Agra: Police in Agra have made three arrests in connection with the suicide of two members of the Brahma Kumaris who have alleged financial fraud by four people in the name of the Mount Abu-based spiritual group.
The two women — Shikha (32) and Ekta (38) — were sisters, and living at the Prajapita Brahma Kumari Ashram in the Jagner town of Agra district..
In the three-page note, addressed to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and accessed by ThePrint, the women identified the accused as Neeraj Singhal, said to be working with a private company in Mount Abu, his father Tarachand, a Jaipur resident named Guddan, and a woman identified as Poonam who resides at a Gwalior ashram of the Brahma Kumaris.
The women have alleged that the accused embezzled Rs 25 lakh donated by members of the Agra ashram, including Rs 7 lakh given by them, for a construction exercise related to the premises.
They have said that while the accused claimed the money was used for its stated purpose, it was actually used to purchase flats.
They have also claimed that the women of the ashram were sexually exploited by the accused, and that they had suppressed the news of several suicides at the ashram.
The sisters’ suicide note calls for the money to be returned to the women, and the accused to be sentenced to life imprisonment “like Asaram Bapu”, a self-styled ‘godman’ accused of rape.
Agra Police said they have arrested Guddan, Tarachand and Poonam while a team is out to catch prime accused Neeraj.
B.K. Karuna, director for information and public relations at Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya, Shantivan, Abu Road, said the institute was shocked about the circumstances leading to the suicides, adding that they did not have any prior information about the matter.
Karuna said the institute is also investigating the people named in the sisters’ note, and action will be taken against whoever is found guilty.
He said accused Neeraj was neither dedicated to the institute nor lived in the institute. He used to work outside and would visit the ashram, he added in a media statement.
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
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