Priest in sex scandal to lose job

The priest of a Swaminarayan temple in Junagadh in Gujarat and his three associates arrested on Tuesday in connection with a sex scandal will be dismissed from the sect, Navtam Swami, a top priest of the Vadtal-based religious group, said on Wednesday.

The Ahmedabad crime branch had on Tuesday seized a CD containing images of sadhus indulging in wild sexual acts and arrested Junagadh Swaminarayan temple priest, Swami Bhaktiswarup, and three others.

"All the sadhus whose images appear in the CD will be dismissed along with the priest of Junagadh Swaminarayan temple," Navtam Swami said.

He, however, said the CD was the handiwork of a few people bent on defaming the Swaminarayan

sect. "Police should also look into the motive of trapping the sadhus on-camera," Navtam Swami added.

Additional Commissioner of Police, Crime, D G Vanzara had said Tuesday that the CD was a compilation and was shot at different places, including Junagadh, Bharuch, Surat and Ahmedabad.

"The priest has been arrested for supplying women, while the other three accused -- Mansuk Patel, alias Mansuk Bhagat, Banubhai Patel, alias Banu Bhagat, and Takkarsinh Patel – have been arrested for making sleazy videos and distributing them in the form of CDs," Vanzara said.

Earlier report:
Swaminarayan temple priest held in sex scandal