Hindu priest sexually abused hundreds of followers, High Court hears

A woman accusing a religious leader of exploiting and sexually abusing her told the High Court he has done it to “hundreds” of his followers over the last 40 years.

Rajinder Kalia, 68, is accused of grooming “disciples” at his temple while subjecting women and underage girls to sexual abuse.

Mr Kalia, head priest at a Hindu temple in Coventry, is disputing the claims against him saying they are part of a financially motivated conspiracy.

He is head of the Sidh Baba Balak Nath Ji Society of Coventry, a religious organisation which professes the founding principles of the Hindu religion.

Mr Kalia allegedly said he could heal the sick and used videos of “parlour tricks” to give the impression he could work miracles by squeezing blood from lemons and setting water on fire.

Four women have claimed they were sexually abused by him, with three more alleging they were financially exploited.

One alleged victim claims to have been sexually abused more than 1,320 times over two decades, and another said she suffered abuse as a child which made her fail her school exams.

A third said her virginity was taken in a rape in a Birmingham hotel and the fourth claims to have been hugged and kissed inappropriately when she was as young as four, before having her virginity taken as a young adult.

Three other claimants allege being subjected to financial abuse, costing them hundreds of thousands of pounds while part of the community.

Mr Kalia, 68, denied being a “fake guru”. Giving evidence for a second day one woman accusing him of abuse said she hopes others will now come forward.

She said: “I think the floodgates will open now and there are going be hundreds of people coming forward now. It’s been nearly 40 years now. He has done it to hundreds of people.

“The most vulnerable people go to the temple because they believe him. He’s abusing them financially, emotionally, sexually, he’s abusing in every aspect you can abuse. He’s in a position of power and he has taken advantage of all these people.”

She said she previously used to drink when alone to suppress the memories.

“I was using alcohol to suppress what he had done to me. I was using alcohol because I thought I would die because of what Mr Kalia had done to me – he had sexually abused me.

“It was a way for me to cope with what he had done to me. He had raped me in hotel rooms and sexually abused me in his room.

“I needed something that could help as that was the only thing to numb the pain and memory of what he had done to me.”

The woman said she had never had an intimate relationship because of Mr Kalia.

She told the court: “I was two years old, groomed by this man and at the beginning I saw him as a father figure, as this God.”

Indian communities ‘don’t talk about sex’

The woman said she was shocked when another family member told her she had been abused as well.

She said that Indian communities “don’t talk about sex” and that Mr Kalia “relied on that”.

She said Mr Kalia would try to divide families to exert control.

“It’s divide and conquer, he messes up your family so you never find out what he has been doing,” she said.

Mr Kalia began preaching in 1983 after moving to the UK from India and claims he experienced miracles as a teenager.

This includes being told he would never walk again after a motorbike crash, but finding himself back on his feet after a visit to Himachal Pradesh, centre of worship of Baba Balak Nath.

The hearing in front of Mr Justice Martin Spencer continues.