Kathmandu, December 22

Tulku Lama, the so-called ‘Buddhist spiritual guru’, has been sent to jail until final verdict on a rape case filed against him at Kathmandu District Court.

On November 22, the Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police had arrested Lama, 56, for allegedly raping and sexually assaulting some of his women followers. He used to molest and rape his followers, saying his divine powers could cure all kinds of illnesses and called himself ‘His Holiness Tulku Guru Remborchhe Chhulthim Dorje Yontan (Yonjan)’.

A rape case was filed at the court demanding maximum punishment against Lama. CIB said the court ordered on Tuesday that he be sent to jail until final verdict on the case. He has been kept in Dillibazar Prison.

Acting on complaints lodged by an alleged victim, CIB raided Pema Tashi Chyuling Ghombo Kasung, a monastery operated by Lama in Chalnakhel, Dakshinkali Municipality-10, and arrested him with some suspicious substances yesterday.

Lama, who originally hails from Kuesheshwor Dumja-9 of Sindhuli, had been heading the monastery for the past 10 years. The monastery housed several women and his followers came to him with various problems in the hope that ‘his divine powers’ could give them a respite. He used to cash in on their gullibility and take them to his private room for molestation, said CIB. Lama would make the women undress, assuring to heal them with his ‘divine powers’ before raping them under threat.