Kathmandu [Nepal], July 1 : The Sarlahi District Court on Monday sentenced Ram Bahadur Bomjan, known as the "Buddha Boy," to 10 years in jail and imposed a half-a-million fine for child sex abuse, court officials confirmed.
Dubbed "Buddha Boy" the controversial spiritual leader was arrested by the Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal from the outskirts of the capital Kathmandu and taken to Sarlahi on 10 January earlier this year.
"Single bench of Judge Jeevan Kumar Bhandari delivered verdict with a jail term of 10 years and a fine of (Nepali currency) Nrs 500,000," Registrar Sadan Adhikari confirmed toover the phone.
Earlier on June 24, the court had convicted Bomjan on the charges of child sex abuse.
Meanwhile, his two aides, Jit Bahadur Tamang and Gyan Bahadur Bomjan were acquitted in the same case.
The 34-year-old originally named Ram Lal Bomjan who since 2005 has been known as "Buddha Boy" or reincarnation of Gautam Buddha is charged with rape and forceful disappearance at various police stations in the Himalayan Nation.
Bomjan came to the attention of the public in 2005 after he claimed to meditate for months without food, water or sleep. Soon after his meditation was over he set up ashrams in Bara, Sarlahi, Sindhupalchowk and Sindhuli Districts.
Earlier in July 2020, the District Court in Sarlahi had registered a case of sexual exploitation filed by a minor female disciple (aged 15 at the time). As per the chargesheet, the incident took place at the ashram in Pattharkot, Sarlahi.
Soon after the filing of the complaint, the Police discovered that four of his disciples also had gone missing from his Ashram.
In June 2020, a joint team from CIB, Bagmati Provincial Police and District Police Offices in Kavre, Sindhupalchowk and Sarlahi conducted a raid at his ashram in Pairey, Sindhuli but could not locate him.
The victim accused Bomjan of rape at night on August 4, 2016. The minor also stated that she kept it hidden after receiving threats from Bomjan to not relay the incident to others otherwise would face the consequences.
Worshipped and regarded as the reincarnation of Gautam Buddha, Bomjan had a significant number of disciples but was on the run since early 2020 are complaint was filed against him for sexual exploitation by female disciples.
Apart from the sexual exploitation charges, the dubbed "Buddha Boy" also has been charged with the disappearance of five people- his disciples in different districts.
A local news portal, Setopati.com had reported the incident in a series that unearthed the incidents that took place inside the ashrams of the claimed spiritual leader.
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