The trial for Nithayananda’s rape has finally begun in court after eight long years on Wednesday. The self-styled godman was booked for raping a former female disciple for over a period of 5 years under the guise of spirituality.

The hearing was taking place at the Third Additional District and Session Court in Ramanagar, Bengaluru. However, Nithayananda along with two other accused Maa Nithya Sachidananda and Shiva Vallabaneni were not present in the court. The court has also issued a warning that if the accused fail to appear in the next hearing, their bails will be cancelled.

It should also be noted that Nithyananda had refuted the charges on him first by saying that he was impotent and later changing his stance by saying that it was consensual sex.  Nithayananda had been booked under IPC sections for rape, unnatural sex, cheating, criminal abetment, disappearance of evidence, giving false information and criminal conspiracy.