KathmanducTypeface:> A court in Nepal handed a ten-year prison sentence on Monday to Ram Bahadur Bomjan, a controversial spiritual guru known as the “Buddha Boy,” for a sexual offence against a minor.
According to Sadan Adhikari, registrar of the Sarlahi District Court, a single bench of Judge Jeevan Kumar Bhandari delivered the sentence, in line with the guilty verdict issued on June 24.
The court also ordered Bomjan to pay 500,000 Nepalese rupees (around $3,700) in compensation to the victim. It is expected take a few weeks for the court to issue the full text of the verdict.
Bomjan has been in custody in Kathmandu since his arrest in January, following months of evading authorities since an arrest warrant was issued in February 2020.
He also faces various other charges, including murder, disappearance, and exploitation. Bomjan has the right to appeal the sentence to a higher court.
Bomjan, now 34, rose to fame during his teenage years for reportedly meditating for months without food, water, or sleep, gaining followers in Nepal, India, and beyond. (DPA)
