'Godman' sentenced to life for rape, murder

The lecherous 'godman', who shocked the nation in November 1994 with his sexcapades, met with his nemesis in a packed courtroom at Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

Amidst tight security and raising of slogans against the controversial 'godman', Premananda has been awarded life sentences on two counts. Not only did he rape 13 woman inmates of his ashram but also murdered a male member for raising objections against his unholy activities.

The Sri Lankan 'swami' has also been ordered to pay a fine of Rs 6.64 million. The amount will be used to pay a compensation of Rs 500,000 each to the rape victims.

Delivering the judgment, District and Sessions Judge R Bhanumathi said the sentences would run consecutively. She also sentenced five other accused in the case to life imprisonment.

If Premananda fails to pay the fine, he will be imprisoned for another 32 years and nine months, the judge said, slapping another year's rigorous imprisonment for cheating innocent inmates of his ashram.

Unfazed by the judgment, the 46-year-old 'godman' smiled and posed for photographers and videographers while being led to the police van from the court. ''Truth will ultimately triumph,'' he told the jostling mediapersons, as he was driven away to prison.

The judge ruled that the 'godman' would not be eligible for any remission of sentence or amnesty granted on special occasions by the central or state governments.

The others sentenced to life terms are Kamalananda, a close associate of Premananda, and ashram workers Balan, Mayilvahanan, Nandakumar and Satish. All of them were convicted for abetment in the rape of the women and the murder of Ravi whose body was buried inside the sprawling ashram at Fatima Nagar. Kamalananda was also asked to pay a fine of Rs 12,500.

Kamalananda's wife, Dr Chandradevi, who was charged with terminating the pregnancies of some of the rape victims, will serve a 39-month jail term. However, as she has already completed her prison term, she will be released on the payment of a fine of Rs 30,000.

Welcoming the judgment, the All India Democratic Women's Association, affiliated to the Communist Party of India-Marxist, shouted slogans against Premananda and praised the prosecution, especially the Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department which investigated the case. Ram Jethmalani, the wellknown criminal lawyer, represented Premananda.

Premananda and six others were arrested in November 1994 in his ashram in Pudukottai district by the state CB-CID.

A chargesheet was filed against the seven accused before the Keeranur judicial magistrate court on January 25, 1995.

Of the seven, Premananda, Kamalananda and Dr Chandra Devi have been in judicial custody since their arrest. The other four were released on bail.

The defence contended that the injuries found on Ravi's body were not serious enough to cause his death. The prosecution relied on a DNA test conducted at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad. However, another DNA test was conducted at London with the high court allowing the defence plea.

UNI