Hindu Priest Allegedly Abused Two Teenage Girls

A former Trinidad police officer who is now an ordained Hindu priest in Jamaica has been charged with sexually abusing two teenage parishioners and raping one of them by tricking her into participating in a purported religious cleansing ritual that would rid her of evil spirits.
District Attorney Richard A. Brown said, &#8220What allegedly happened to these children is every child’s and every parent’s worst nightmare. Under the guise of being their religious leader, the defendant is alleged to have taken advantage of the youngsters and their trust in him by robbing them of their innocence.”
The defendant was identified as Ramadhar Ramlal, 59, of 92-30 173rd  Street in Jamaica. He is the pastor of the USA Pandits Parishad Church, located at 147-07 88th Avenue in Jamaica.
Ramlal was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on charges of third-degree rape, third-degree criminal sexual act, second- and third-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.
According to the criminal complaint, on two separate occasions in December 2002, the defendant directed one of the sisters, then 16, to meet him at a friend’s apartment on 165th Street in Jamaica so he could perform a ritual to help her with family problems.  
Once there and assured that she had not told anyone where she was going or what she was doing, he allegedly instructed her to take off her clothes, which she reluctantly did. On exiting the bathroom wrapped in a towel, she observed the defendant wearing just a tank-top and boxer shorts. The defendant then allegedly ordered her to lie on the floor atop a white sheet and to hold her arms outstretched with a coin in each and not drop them.  The defendant then allegedly began to chant, put coins on various parts of her body and rub her with oil from head to toe.  
Informed by the victim that she felt uncomfortable, the defendant allegedly covered her eyes with a towel before tying a string on his finger, which he then used to sexually assault her. At the completion of the two-hour ritual, the defendant allegedly collected the string and burned it in a bowl and then turned her over and sexually assaulted her again.
In February 2003, the 16-year-old girl allegedly met Ramlal again on 104th Street in Jamaica. He allegedly drove her to the Econo Lodge, a motel located at 113-18 Rockaway Boulevard in Jamaica, and performed a similar ritual. The defendant then allegedly placed the victim on her stomach, moved her to her hands and knees and stated, &#8220Now I have to do this to complete the ritual and I am sorry but I have to do this,” and raped her. Afterwards, the defendant drove his victim to the train station.
The criminal complaint further charges that, in the spring of 2003, the defendant sexually abused the younger sister, then 13, in his church by touching her breasts and private parts over her clothes.
Ramlal was arrested on Thursday, September 6, 2006, and arraigned before Queens Criminal Court Judge Alex J. Zigman who set bail at $50,000, granted orders of protection for both victims and a return date of September 25, 2006 for Ramlal.