Coventry cult leader accused of raping devotees

A cult leader in Coventry who claimed to be 'God on Earth' has been accused of raping four devotees, according to court documents.

Rajinder Kalia, has allegedly been using Baba Balak Nath, an obscure branch of Hinduism for his nefarious activities, and has been accused of putting "undue influence" on young girls for nearly three decades.

At the temple in Bell Green, Coventry, Kalia, 65, is believed to be a “healer and miracle worker” by his followers.

The claims, in a multimillion-pound civil case filed at the High Court last month, come after West Midlands police attempted to charge him with criminal offences relating to the alleged sexual abuse.

Prosecutors said there was a “clear and compelling public interest” in pursuing the rape allegations but dropped the claims in 2017 after finding insufficient evidence. They also admitted they had “little understanding of the culture” of the temple.

Kalia returned to the temple, where it is claimed he instructed followers to launch an onslaught including threats of violence, vandalism and defamation against those who spoke out.

The High Court claim, brought by Clare Kirby, a consultant solicitor at Peacock Law, alleges that sexual abuse amounted to “trespass to the person” and that his “undue influence” on followers saw them hand over hundreds of thousands in cash.

Kalia is accused of rape on the basis that “free will was overborne by the undue influence that he had over each of them, so that they could not formulate informed consent to such acts in law”.

Kalia, through his solicitors, declined to comment. However, he has said he will be defending the High Court claim.