Chennai: Self-styled godman rapes teen with wife’s help, held

Police said the godman’s wife also has been arrested for aiding her husband all these years and threatening the victim to abort the child. However, the victim delivered the child at a government hospital in the city and has been raising it with the consent of husband.

The incident came to light after the woman approached the police since the accused continued to harass her and tried to sexually exploit her after learning that her husband has gone back to work abroad.

Police said accused Sathyanarayanan is the proprietor of Shridipuram Sarvasakthi Peetam at Vinayakapuram and had been staying with his wife Pushpalatha.

It all started in 2016 when the victim, who was a Class 12 student, went to the ashram to get sacred ash for her unwell mother. Since the victim’s grandmother had already introduced her to the couple, they invited her and offered a juice, spiked with sedatives.

The victim fell unconscious and woke up two hours later only to find her disrobed and with pain at her private parts. While Pushpalatha was not there, Sathyanarayanan allegedly showed her the photos of him sexually assaulting her and claimed he just washed her sins away. He also allegedly threatened her against revealing it to others as it would bring shame for her as nobody would buy her claims.

While the victim stopped visiting the ashram, Sathyanarayanan allegedly invited her last year again after learning that she was married and that her husband was abroad. When she refused, he allegedly threatened to share her obscene photos with husband.

Since then, Sathyanarayanan sexually assaulted her several times and she became pregnant in May 2020. Sathyanarayanan and Pushpalatha allegedly threatened her to abort, but she refused.

In her complaint, the woman said there were quarrels with her husband due to the pregnancy, but he later reportedly accepted her.

However, Sathyanarayanan allegedly started threatening the victim again after her husband left for abroad and she decided to approach the police this time after informing her husband.

Madhavaram all-women police registered a case and arrested Sathyanarayanan (48) and his wife Pushpalatha (44). The couple was remanded in judicial custody. Police said the accused also runs a YouTube channel that has thousands of followers.

Police are investigating whether any other followers have been abused similarly.