Sexual exploitation of children in Shukartal ashram: Second victim cross-examined in court

In the case of alleged sexual exploitation of children by a self-styled godman at his ashram in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district, the second victim was cross-examined in a POCSO court here on Wednesday.

In the case of alleged sexual exploitation of children by a self-styled godman at his ashram in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district, the second victim was cross-examined in a POCSO court here on Wednesday. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court judge, Sanjive Kumar Tiwari, has scheduled the next hearing in the case on Friday. The two accused in the case -- self-styled godman Swami Bhakti Bhushan Govind Maharaj and his aide Krishan Mohan -- were also present in the court.

The Muzaffarnagar police had in July this year rescued ten children, aged between seven and 10 years, from the Shukartal ashram in Bhopa police station area in the district, run by Swami Bhakti Bhushan Govind Maharaj and Mohan. All the children belong to different north eastern states, including Tripura, Mizoram and Assam. Following medical examinations, four of the children were confirmed to have been sexually exploited.

The police had also arrested the duo after registering a case against them 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 POCSO Act..