Charges Will Be Taken Seriously, Times Nows (India), May 7, 2008

'Charges Will Be Taken Seriously'

Times Nows (India)
May 7, 2008

http://www.timesnow.tv/NewsDtls.aspx?NewsID=8074

There is more trouble in store for Swami Prakashanand Sarawati, who was arrested last month in the US on charges of child abuse. The Hays County Sherif's Department, which is investigating the case, has said the charges would be "taken seriously" as the victims were underage.

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati

Mike Thielen, spokesperson for the county sherif's department said, "These charges do stand back to when the individuals that came forth with the outcry were under the age of adulthood. And so we do take those charges seriously."

Swami Prakashanand had some reprieve when was released on a $1 million bail, after being arrested Texas on charges of 20 counts of child abuse.

The case stems from an investigation that started last May. Sealed indictments were issued in April, after which an arrest warrant was issued against Sarawati who founded the Barsana Dham shrine in Hays County in 1990.

Swami "beyond reproach"?

Though his followers insist the allegations against Saraswati are "false and damaging". Raj Goel, a resident of Barsana Dham, said the accusations did not affect him because, "We know these allegations are not true - knowing him for so many years and knowing him closely, we all firmly believe that these allegations are not true, so its not a shock to us."

Another resident of the Dham, Vrinda Deutch who is also Community Relations Coordinator for the shrine said she was immensely disappointed by the case but was "unshakeable" in her belief that Swamiji was "beyond reproach".

"I would say hearing these allegations against Sri Swamiji was immensely disappointing to us because we have witnessed Sri Swamiji's efforts over the past 25 years to serve humanity, to uplift those people who are wishing to know about God including myself and my husband, and has done so... impeccably... I have seen him interact with my own son who grew up in Barsana Dham. All these things combined make me feel unshakeable in my belief in Swamiji's character which is beyond reproach," said Vrinda Deutch.