New Delhi: Saint and yoga guru Swami Anand Giri associated with Niranjani Akhara of Prayagraj has been arrested for allegedly assaulting women in Sydney, Australia. In a conversation over the phone, Swami Anand Giri’s guru confirmed his arrest. It is alleged that during the Satsanga program in 2016, two women have been assaulted and raped. Both women have filed complaints against Giri.

Anand Giri was arrested on Sunday afternoon and will be in judicial custody till June 26. Following the complaint, Giri had said that the foreign women mistook a saint’s way of blessing people by patting their backs and said it was blasphemous to call it assault.

Swami Anand Giri is the second saint of the Hanuman temple in Prayagraj and the office bearer of the Niranjan Akhara. He is also a yoga guru with international fame. Giri has travelled to over 30 countries including Hong Kong, London, South Africa, Paris and Melbourne and has given lectures in prestigious universities like Cambridge, Oxford and Sydney.