Anand Giri was known to both complainants, the police said. (Source: Facebook/Anand Giri) Anand Giri was known to both complainants, the police said. (Source: Facebook/Anand Giri)

Self-proclaimed spiritual and yoga guru Anand Giri has been arrested in Australia for allegedly sexually assaulting two women during prayer meetings, news portal SBS reported. Giri, a mahant at the famous Bade Hanuman temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, was produced in a court in Sydney on Monday and has been remanded in custody till June 26, 2019.

According to the report, Giri was arrested from Australia’s Oxley Park over charges of two counts of indecency on two women in separate incidents. According to the police, Giri who was on a six-week tour of Australia and was scheduled to return to India on Monday was known to both complainants, the police said.

According to police Giri attended a home in Rooty Hill in 2016, where he met a 29-year-old woman for prayers. “While in the bedroom of the home, the man has allegedly indecently assaulted the woman,” police said.

Giri was arrested from Australia’s Oxley Park over charges of two counts of indecency on two women in separate incidents. Giri was arrested from Australia’s Oxley Park over charges of two counts of indecency on two women in separate incidents.

In a separate incident, Giri allegedly assaulted a 34-year-old woman in 2018. “In November 2018, a 38-year-old man attended a home in Rooty Hill, where he met a 34-year-old woman in the lounge room of the home for prayers. The man allegedly indecently assaulted the woman,” police said.

Anand Giri on his Facebook page says, “My mission is to serve others & somehow contribute to making this world a better place, I serve those in need I am not a priest but simply a man who has found his soul.” His website is now non-functional.

In this photo from his Facebook page, Giri with In this photo from his Facebook page, Giri with BJP chief Amit Shah and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

His account has photographs of him with the likes of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu, Union minister VK Singh, yoga guru Ramdev among others.

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