Avril Elfi from OAN
Wednesday, July 3, 2024 4:58 PM
A Nepalese spiritual leader known as “Buddha Boy” has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting a minor.
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Ram Bahadur Bhanjan, who is believed by his followers to be the reincarnation of Buddhism’s founder Siddhartha Gautama, was sentenced on Monday, court officials said.
Banjan is said to be 34 years old, although most sources are curiously reluctant to mention his age.
In addition to his 10-year prison sentence, Bhanjan was ordered by a judge in the Sarlahi District Court in southern Nepal to pay $3,700 in compensation to the victim.
Court official Sadhan Adhikari said the man has 70 days to appeal against the sentence.
In January, Bomjan was detained by police on the outskirts of Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, on suspicion of sexual assault and involvement in the disappearance of at least four followers.
Police said $227,000 in Nepali currency notes and $23,000 in other foreign currency were seized during the arrest.
He was convicted last week of sexually abusing an underage girl, whose age authorities did not disclose.
Court proceedings are also underway on charges related to the disappearance of believers.
Many Nepalis believe that Bhanjan is a reincarnation of Siddhartha Gautama, a claim he himself makes, but many Buddhist scholars who believe in reincarnation are also skeptical of his claim.
In 2005, Bhanjan became well-known in southern Nepal, where he frequently held camps and drew thousands of people for worship.
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