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Priest arrested in Oshawa
Durham Regional Police arrested a New York-based Hindu priest, identified as 50-year-old Rajendranauth Doodnauth Maraj, after he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Oshawa, Ontario under the pretext of a religious ceremony to heal her of evil spirits.
“has been arrested in Canada for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman”
Police said the victim’s family invited Maraj from the USA to Canada to perform a religious ceremony, and that he convinced the woman she was possessed by evil spirits and that a specific religious ceremony was needed to heal her.
The case came to light after the family reached out to police on August 25, and a police team dispatched to the area of Harmony Road North and Conlin Road East took Maraj into custody.
Durham Regional Police said Maraj then called the victim to a private location where he sexually assaulted her under the guise of performing a religious ceremony, and he was charged with one count of sexual assault.
Police statement and bail
Durham Regional Police said that on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, members of East Division responded to a sexual assault call in the area of Harmony Road North and Conlin Road East, after the victim and her family employed a Hindu pandit from the United States of America to visit them and perform a religious ceremony.
In the same statement, police said, "The pandit deceived the victim into believing she was possessed by evil spirits and needed a specific ritual to heal herself," and that the suspect exploited the victim into attending a private location where she was sexually assaulted under the guise of performing a religious ceremony.
Multiple outlets reported that Maraj was identified as Rajendranauth Doodnauth MARAJ, 50, of Richmond Hill, New York, and that he was held for a bail hearing after being charged with sexual assault.
The Indian Express said officers located and arrested the suspect without incident and that he was remanded to police custody pending a bail hearing, while NDTV said officers later arrested him and charged him with one count of sexual assault and that he was held for a bail hearing.
More victims feared
Durham Regional Police said they suspect there could be more victims sexually assaulted by Maraj and urged anyone with information to come forward, while also reiterating that details in the statement were based on facts and circumstances pieced together during the course of the probe and are subject to a trial.
“police now suspect that there may be more victims sexually assaulted by Maraj”
India Today reported that investigators fear there may be more victims and appealed for information, and it said police released a photograph of the accused as part of their investigation.
The Indian Express similarly said investigators suspect there may be additional victims and urged anyone with information to come forward, noting that because the suspect travelled internationally to perform religious duties, investigators said there could be other individuals who might have been targeted in similar schemes.
Hindustan Times added that police now suspect there may be more victims sexually assaulted by Maraj and urged anyone with information to come forward, as the accused remained in custody following the August 25 complaint.