Abhishek Mishra, a mechanical engineering graduate from IIT Roorkee, abandoned his career to become a self-styled godman known as Aadikarta Narain Dass in Mathura's Radha Kund, where he gained followers through online religious discourses and established an ashram, attracting educated youth and manipulating them into isolating themselves from their families. Mishra, who presented himself as a Kathavachak, allegedly performed 'Gandharva Vivah' ceremonies to legitimize relationships with female followers and, according to a complaint filed by a 22-year-old nursing student, sexually assaulted her after administering intoxicating substances, subsequently blackmailing her for ₹5 lakh, leading to his arrest and the recovery of obscene materials from his phone, with charges including extortion, criminal intimidation, criminal force, and sexual harassment.

Abhishek Mishra, a mechanical engineering graduate from IIT Roorkee, abandoned his career to become a self-styled godman known as Aadikarta Narain Dass in Mathura's Radha Kund, where he gained followers through online religious discourses and established an ashram, attracting educated youth and manipulating them into isolating themselves from their families. Mishra, who presented himself as a Kathavachak, allegedly performed 'Gandharva Vivah' ceremonies to legitimize relationships with female followers and, according to a complaint filed by a 22-year-old nursing student, sexually assaulted her after administering intoxicating substances, subsequently blackmailing her for ₹5 lakh, leading to his arrest and the recovery of obscene materials from his phone, with charges including extortion, criminal intimidation, criminal force, and sexual harassment.

Abhishek Mishra, a mechanical engineering graduate from IIT Roorkee, abandoned his career to become a self-styled godman known as Aadikarta Narain Dass in Mathura's Radha Kund, where he gained followers through online religious discourses and established an ashram, attracting educated youth and manipulating them into isolating themselves from their families. Mishra, who presented himself as a Kathavachak, allegedly performed 'Gandharva Vivah' ceremonies to legitimize relationships with female followers and, according to a complaint filed by a 22-year-old nursing student, sexually assaulted her after administering intoxicating substances, subsequently blackmailing her for ₹5 lakh, leading to his arrest and the recovery of obscene materials from his phone, with charges including extortion, criminal intimidation, criminal force, and sexual harassment.

Abhishek Mishra, who hailed from Bhubhaneswar, Odisha, was a mechanical engineering graduate from IIT Roorkee in the 2017-21 batch. However, after the course, he abandoned his career and opted to become a self-styled godman.

The 'IIT baba' initially set up his base in a rented accommodation in Mathura's Radha Kund, a sacred town famous for its association with the divine pastimes of Lord Krishna and Radha. He began operating under the religious alias Aadikarta Narain Dass and later, managed to acquire a house in the same locality and turned it into an ashram. Under his assumed identity, he slowly grew his following through online religious discourses. He also delivered sermons in Hindi and English through a YouTube channel called Radha Kripa Amrita and presented himself as a Kathavachak (religious storyteller).

The self-styled godman used the online platforms including LinkedIn to lure educated youths, especially those with engineering backgrounds. He began manipulating many of his followers into distancing themselves from their families and moving into his ashram. According to police, around 24 young men and women were residing in the ashram at one point.

Mathura (Rural) SP Suresh Chandra Rawat revealed that he would conduct ‘Gandharva Vivah’ ceremonies as a means of legitimising relationships with female followers. Report suggest that the 'IIT baba' chose the holy town of Radha Kund to give legitimacy to his 'Gandharva Vivah' ceremonies. These ceremonies allegedly either involved himself or between disciples.

He successfully managed to carry on the act for about three to four years until one of his so-called disciples lodged a complaint at Goverdhan police station against him on May 25. Following this, he was arrested on Monday.

The complainant, a 22-year-old BSc nursing student from Chhattisgarh, had come to Mathura to visit her sister when she came into contact with Mishra. She alleged that he administered intoxicating substances as prasad before sexually assaulting her and recording the act on May 17.

After the incident, she cut off contact with him and returned to her home in Chhattisgarh on May 19. However, he allegedly started blackmailing her over the phone using her photos and videos and demanded ₹5 lakh.

Police have recovered obscene photographs and videos from his mobile phone.

The charges slapped on Mishra include Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 308(2) (extortion), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 76 (criminal force with intent to disrobe a woman), and 75(2) (sexual harassment).

According to police, two women and a man who were at the ashram during his arrest were sent back to their families. The women were from Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh and Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh.

Police are trying to figure out how many women may have been targeted by the self-styled godman.