Prem Kumar

Life and work Originally an Indian Tamil from Sri Lanka, Kumar had an ashram and orphanage in his birthplace Matale. During his years in Matale, Sri Lanka he was popularly known as 'Ravi', meaning 'sun', as he had a radiant face. He moved to India with his followers in 1983 to escape the Sri Lankan Civil War, bringing with him undocumented Sri Lankan orphans who had been in his care. The All India Democratic Women's Association provided moral support and legal aid to the victims.

Ram Jethmalani argued that the women had consented to sex. The court noted that in some cases the consent was obtained by deceit, such as promising a cure for ailments such as asthma or by saying that sex with the swami was "service to God". The court also noted that some of the girls had been threatened with dire consequences and that some of the victims were below the age of consent (16 at the time of trial) when they were raped. Jethmalani also said that the trial was unfair because witnesses and the accused had been subjected to police brutality.

The alleged murder victim's remains were found buried on the ashram premises and were presented as evidence.

DNA samples from Arul Jyothi, her alleged aborted fetus, and Premananda were also introduced as evidence. The prosecution argued that the results established his paternity.

Conviction Premananda was sentenced to double life imprisonment and fined lakhs for 13 counts of rape, molestations of two girls and murder. Failure to pay the fine was to carry an additional term of 32 years and 9 months. He was also convicted of cheating the residents of his ashram, which carried another one-year sentence. Six others were also found guilty of conspiracy to commit rapes and destroying evidence. Five were given life sentences. In view of the severity of the crimes, the judge denied them any future remission of their sentences or amnesty by any state or central government.

Aftermath

In January 2000, the Madras High Court ordered that lakhs from Premananda's frozen accounts should be placed in a fixed deposit for three years and the resulting interest should be paid to the victims as compensation. The original guilty verdict was appealed to the Madras High Court and the appeal was rejected in December 2002. On 5 February 2009, the Madras High Court rejected a habeas corpus petition, keeping in view the recommendations of the district sessions judge at the time of conviction and the previous Supreme Court order. On 26 June 2010, however, the same court accepted Premananda's petition requesting a three-month parole to undergo medical treatment.

As of 2005 a European named Doris was running the ashram who said that Premananda was innocent.

Death Premananda died on 21 February 2011 of acute liver failure, while being held in Cuddalore Central Prison. Until his death, he continued to maintain that he was innocent.

Legacy On 16 November 2014, Swami Premananda's birth anniversary was observed by his devotees at the residence of C. V. Vigneswaran in Colombo, Sri Lanka. On 22 February 2015, the Swami Premananda International Conference was held in Colombo. It was attended by A. T. Ariyaratne, founder of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, D. M. Swaminathan, a Sri Lankan Tamil Cabinet Minister, C. V. Vigneswaran, the Chief Minister of the Northern Province, and about 50 delegates from various countries including Argentina, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Nepal, the UK, the US, Sweden, Switzerland, India and Poland.