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EDITORIAL   Not Guilty Verdict In Puri Rape Case BY KULASEKHARA DAS EDITORIAL, May 5 (VNN) — Religious Persecution and Extortion by the Puri Police. After holding seven men for six hundred and eleven days without bail, the case against them has been dismissed and all of the men found NOT GUILTY! - due to total lack of evidence. Apart from this being a case of a 'frame-up' for extortion by the Puri Police and the two Prosecutors (both of whom were having sexual relations with the accuser), this is also a case of Religious Persecution. The men targeted were Vaishnava's, or worshipers of Lord Vishnu or Krishna. Twice they asked for American dollars to release Bhakta das - Bill Benedict, an American businessman, who they had branded as the ringleader in the rape of a six-year old girl. The first time was for a few thousand, as they figured he would buckle and it would be a quick-hit and he would leave and it would be forgotten. The second time - a few months later - it was for a Hundred Thousand American Dollars, and they said a Government Minister could get him released. Bhakta das again refused. Embarrassed by lack of evidence they have held these men while they try to figure out what to do next. Bhakta's company in Thailand has suffered greatly from his absence. (They sell a million sticks of incense a day to the US). He is a very devoted member of the Vaishnava religion, and a good father and husband. He was in the temple with his family at the time of the alleged rape. The child was documented as 'untouched' by two Hospitals within days of the 'supposed event'. Bhakta's mental health has declined over the last two years in prison, and he was admitted to a Mental Hospital about a year ago. After being denied bail over a dozen times, he became extremely depressed and suicidal. He felt there was no hope and that he would rot in the Indian jails. He took a 'turn-for-the-worst' after testimony from the Austrian Court was IGNORED. The Accuser - Maria Schmidova, testified that she lied and made the whole thing up. The court in Austria has put Maria in a Mental Hospital and taken her child away from her. She has to undergo a minimum of three years of mental evaluations before they will even consider returning her daughter. She shows no sign of remorse. After their case fell apart and it was becoming harder to hold these men, the Police arrested a direct servant of Lord Jugganatha, Suddha Mohapatra, one of the leaders of the Daityapati community in Puri. Those who attend Lord Jagannatha from Snana Yatra until the end of Rathayatra, and accused him of filming the 'event' and selling the pornographic video in Bangkok. (All of this with zero evidence). Then the Police had twelve people sign blank pieces of paper so that they could fabricate evidence! Bail was denied at every step, and the Police continued to say that they were waiting for new evidence. This went on for SIX HUNDRED AND ELEVEN DAYS! - without bail. What kind of justice system is this? And Bhakta das STILL remains a prioner of the Indian courts, denied bail EVEN AFTER this judgement! They painted two saintly devotees of Lord Krishna with the dirtiest brush of all - Child Rape, and Distribution of Child Pornography. If this is not religious persecution, I do not know what is! All Vaishnava's - especially in India, should be outraged and speak up against this injustice! Those involved should be sued for millions and incarcerated for twice the accumulated time served by these men. There should be justice! Bhakta das is still in captivity - held by the Orrisan Authorities and denied bail. There should be attention brought to bear on this situation. Who in India will speak up for our godbrother? Related VNN Stories Contact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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