Daati Maharaj's brother joins investigation in rape case

NEW DELHI: Self-styled godman Daati Maharaj's brother, a co-accused in the rape of a disciple in ashrams located here and in Rajasthan, joined the police investigation and was questioned on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the godman had been questioned by officials of the Delhi Police Crime Branch for over seven hours.

His younger brother of Daati Maharaj was also named by the victim in her complaint. He reached the Crime Branch office on Wednesday afternoon and was questioned till the night, police said.

Cops have asked Maharaj to reappear before the Crime Branch on Friday as well.

On Saturday, a Delhi Police team, accompanied by the rape victim, had visited the self-godman's ashram in Pali, Rajasthan, to gather evidence. But the team failed to find him at the ashram.

The woman had filed the complaint against Daati Maharaj, his three brothers and a woman at the Fatehpur Beri police station here in south Delhi last Sunday, which was later transferred to the Crime Branch. She alleged that she was sexually abused at Daati Maharaj's ashrams in Delhi and Rajasthan. The Delhi Commission for Women demanded the arrest of the godman.