New Delhi, Oct 26: The CBI has booked self-styled preacher Daati Maharaj, who runs a temple in South Delhi, for allegedly raping and having unnatural sex with an inmate of his ashram, officials said Friday.

The agency had taken over investigation in the case on the instructions of the Delhi High Court, they said.

On a complaint by a woman disciple, a case of rape and unnatural sex was filed against Daati Maharaj, his three brothers and a woman at Fatehpur Beri Police Station in South Delhi.

On June 22, the police had questioned Daati Maharaj also known as Daati Madanlal, who was charged with rape of a disciple at his ashrams in Delhi and Rajasthan.

The accused had claimed he was being framed in the case.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao had allowed the complainant woman's plea to transfer the matter to the CBI, saying the manner in which the Delhi Police carried out the probe "casts a shadow on the investigation".

It is possibly the first case registered by the agency after a midnight drama in which its Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana were divested of all powers by the government on the recommendation of Central Vigilance Commission.

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Bareilly (UP) (PTI): A 26-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl, who later died by suicide due to trauma, police said on Wednesday.

The post-mortem report confirmed sexual assault and multiple injuries on the minor's body, including bite marks and nail scratches. The cause of death was found to be hanging, they said.

According to ASP (South) Anshika Verma, the incident came to light on 27 April, when the girl, a Class 8 student, was found hanging at her home in Deoria Abdullaganj village under the Mirganj police station area. Initially, the family reported the death as suicide and was reluctant to pursue police action.

"The autopsy report changed the course of the investigation. It confirmed sexual assault and noted severe physical trauma. The cause of death was confirmed as hanging," Verma said.

A breakthrough in the case came from the statement of the victim's younger sister, who told police that the accused, Zeeshan (26), a resident of the same village, frequently loitered near the minor's school and allegedly gave her small sums of money to keep his interactions with her a secret, she said.

Police said that on the day of the incident, the accused allegedly lured the minor and assaulted her. Distressed by the incident, the child later took her own life while her mother was away, police said.

"Based on technical surveillance, CCTV footage, and statements from the family, we established Zeeshan's involvement. He was arrested near the Mirganj weekly market on Tuesday," they said.