KATHMANDU, JUNE 24 The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Nepal has rebutted the cover-up and accusations of child abuse through a point-by-point response to a series of front-page reports published by The Himalayan Times on June 14, 2026, which have exposed serious child abuse, sexual misconduct, and institutional cover-ups at its Bhaktivedanta Gurukul based in Budhanilkantha. In an official statement signed by Joint Secretary Harendra Thakur and sent to the Press Council Nepal, ISKCON has stated the reporting was 'one-sided, fabricated and highly misleading' and has caused irreparable damage to the image of the spiritual institution. In response to the headline that the ISKCON operator had been arrested, the institution said that the person in custody, Sundar Gopal Das (Suraj Krishna Shrestha), was just a general coordinator of the Gurukul and not an owner or operator. ISKCON has also stated that the media twisted the legal charges. Quoting official statements from the police spokesperson, the organisation said Das was being held under the Act Relating to Children for investigation into alleged physical punishment and battery (child abuse) and not child sexual exploitation as reported. The organisation also responded with details about the main accused, 19-year-old Ishwor Shrestha. Shrestha was never an employee or official but a student, ISKCON said, and was himself a 15-year-old minor at the time of the alleged incident. 'Both sides have voluntarily left the facility since then,' reads the response. ISKCON has strongly refuted claims of any illegal activities in the Main Temple Hall, stating that Gurukul and the temple are two separate buildings. Such allegations are illogical, as the temple hall is very much crowded with public devotees all through the day. The leadership responded to claims that 13 senior officials, including ISKCON Nepal President Sabin Regmi, had colluded to cover up the crimes, saying that the local executive board had not received any formal complaint. However, once a complaint reached the international Governing Body Commission (GBC), local management provided full logistics, housing, and meals to the investigation team-an interaction they state is backed by preserved CCTV footage. Responding to a reported clash on April 22, when an armed mob allegedly attacked investigators, ISKCON clarified that the crowd was only of concerned parents and relatives of the students. ISKCON said the friction occurred when investigators filmed sensitive videos of minors without parental consent. Parents gathered peacefully to secure copies of the footage to prevent public leaks, a valid concern when the videos were later aired on a local television channel. Local Budhanilkantha police arrived at the scene immediately, ISKCON said, adding police can confirm there was no physical assault. It has also denied claims its legal team misled the court by saying the school shut years ago. ISKCON said the parents involved were from middle-class families, and management had immediately shut down the Gurukul's operations unconditionally following the start of the investigation. 'We have asked the publication to print our clarification with the same prominence as per the country's press laws and the journalistic code of conduct,' ISKCON Nepal said.