Swami Pradiptananda, popularly known as Kartik Maharaj of Bharat Sevashram Sangha and a recent Padma Shri awardee, has been accused of rape and prolonged sexual abuse spanning over a decade. The woman, who filed an FIR at Lalbagh police station in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, claimed the assault began in 2012 after Kartik Maharaj allegedly offered her a job at the Chanak Adivasi Abasik Balika Vidyalaya.
In her written complaint, the woman accused the monk of raping her and stated that members of his ashram later coerced her into undergoing an abortion. She also described threats and intimidation she faced when she tried to reconnect with him this month.
Woman Claims Threats, Abortion; Police Yet to Act
The woman detailed a recent incident from June 13, where two men associated with the ashram allegedly forced her into a car after she received a call from Kartik Maharaj.
“They said they would take me to Beldanga. Inside the vehicle, they threatened me and warned me not to contact Kartik Maharaj again before pushing me out of the car and driving off,” she wrote in her three-page complaint.
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Murshidabad police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Additional SP Raspreet Singh confirmed that the probe is underway, but no action has been taken against the monk at the time of reporting.
Addressing the allegations at a public event in Beldanga, Kartik Maharaj stated, “I can only say that monks are not allowed to spend nights at the women’s hostel of the ashram.”
Political Reactions and Rising Tensions
The case has triggered political controversy. While BJP’s Berhampore unit chief Malay Mahajan accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of engaging in “dirty politics” to malign Kartik Maharaj, TMC spokesperson Jay Prakash Majumdar asserted, “No sin can be washed off or justified… Law should take its course without seeing his faith.”
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Kartik Maharaj was largely unknown to the public before being awarded the Padma Shri in early 2024. His name came under the spotlight during the Lok Sabha elections, when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made critical remarks about certain monks, sparking heated debate.
As of now, the investigation continues, while civil society and political voices demand impartial legal proceedings.
