VISAKHAPATNAM: The Visakhapatnam police have arrested four persons for illegal confinement and sexual assault of multiple women. One of the four is prime accused Anil Kumar alias Prem Das, founder of Prema Swaroopi Ministries.
SP B Krishna Rao said the four accused were arrested and the arrest of one Lily was yet to be made. He added they were investigating the case based on a complaint lodged by a Telangana woman against the pastor and others. “There were 27 persons, including nine men, in the trust’s building. Most of the women were sent to their parents after counselling. Statements of all women and male members have been recorded,” the SP said. Prema Das allegedly lured around 19 women from various places in the name of giving spiritual discourse and housed them on the trust premises. The pastor is accused of sexually exploiting the women for the past four years.
Meanwhile, women’s commission chairperson Vasireddy Padma sought a report on the alleged sexual harassment of women by pastor Prabhu Das. Vasireddy Padma said she spoke to Payakaraipeta MLA Golla Babu Rao and SP B Krishna Rao in this regard. She said the commission was trying to file cases on the issue under the Nirbhaya Act.