Controversial ‘Spiritual Leader’ Arrested on Sexual Abuse Charges
Ram Bahadur Bomjan, a controversial ‘spiritual leader’, was arrested by a team of the central bureau of investigation on Tuesday evening from a house in Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu. Bomjan was arrested while “absconding in the case of sexual exploitation of a minor”. An arrest warrant against him was issued in 2020 in the case of sexual abuse of a minor girl, who was allegedly living as a nun at his ashram in the Bara district, south of the capital Kathmandu.
Background
Bomjan, popularly called ‘Budhha Boy’in local media, gained international attention in 2005 when he retreated into the jungle to pray for 10 months, at the age of 15, without food, sleep or water, according to local media reports. His followers once claimed that he is the reincarnation of Siddhartha Gautama, who was born in Nepal some 2,500 years ago, and later became known simply as Buddha, meaning “enlightened one”. Bomjan began preaching about two years later, attracting an audience of about 3,000 people during his first sermon, according to his website.
Conclusion
Bomjan has been arrested on child sexual abuse charges and is currently in police custody.