KATHMANDU, Jan 9: The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has arrested Ram Bahadur Bamjan, a self-proclaimed ascetic from near Kathmandu.

Spokesman for CIB SP Nabaraj Adhikari informed that Bamjan, who has been hiding from the police for a long time, was arrested by the CIB team on Tuesday.

The police started searching for Bamjan in the case of murder, rape and disappearance of his female disciples. He was on the run for nearly five years.

In January 2021, a team of police personnel from the District Police Office, Sindhuli, had attempted to arrest him from his Ashram after he was accused of sexually abusing his followers. Ascetic Bamjan, who hails from Nijgadh Municipality-12 of Bara District, was not found when police reached there to arrest him as per the order of the Sarlahi District Court.

"He had been absconding for a long time. He has been found and arrested today," CIB Spokesperson SP Adhikari said on Tuesday. At that time, Gyan Bahadur Bamjan, also known as Lopchan Gurumarg Guru, who was considered to be his main aide in Bamjan's Ashram, was detained for investigation.

Bamjan came to Sindhuli to live in a temporary ashram in the community forest located in Kamalamai Municipality-7 of Sindhuli some 12 years ago. But after staying in Sindhuli for only three months, Bomjon went to Sarlahi's Paththarkot and came back again in Sindhuli six years later.

Police had been searching for Bamjan since four years after he was accused of disappearing his followers including Sanchalal Waiba, Phul Maya Rumba, Karma Waiba from his Ashrams in different districts and sexually assaulting his female disciples inside his Ashram.

 
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