HOUSTON: A Hindu priest has been charged with 20 counts of indecency with a child and released on a whopping $1 million bail bond by a US court.
Prakashanand Saraswati, 79, founder of the Barsana Dham centre in north Hays County in Texas-- one of the biggest Hindu temples in the US-- was arrested at an airport in Washington, D.C. last week.
Known to his followers as Shiree Swamiji, the priest is accused of groping two underage girls on several occasions in the 1990s.
District Judge Bill Henry set bond at $50,000 for each charge.
The case stems from am investigation that started last May; sealed indictments were issued in April after which an arrest warrant was issued against Sarawati.
The Barasana Dham temple said the allegations against Saraswati were "false and damaging".
