AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA, March 22, 2011: Prakashanand Saraswati, founder of Barsana Dham, was convicted of 20 counts of indecency with a child, sentenced to 14 years in prison on each count and also fined $200,000. He has not been seen ever since the day when he was expected to attend court to hear the verdict, delivered in absentia.<\/p>\n
The missing leader is likely in Mexico and soliciting flights to India, the U.S. Marshal’s Office said Tuesday. Federal authorities are also charging Prakashanand with unlawful flight to avoid apprehension.<\/p>\n
‘He is believed to be in one of the Mexican towns of Tamilitas or Nuevo Leon,’ said Hecto Gomez, a supervisory deputy marshal. ‘We’ve contacted the Mexico City office to coordinate with their local counterparts there as to likely locations. Our search efforts are focusing right across the border or no further than Monterrey.’<\/p>\n
Gomez said officials are convinced that Prakashanand Saraswati, 82, fled the night before he was to be sentenced in Hays County. ‘We have contacted Interpol in [Washington] D.C. and asked them to notify member nations from countries he has frequented in Asia, New Zealand, Canada, India and Nepal,’ Gomez said. The marshal’s office said Prakashanand’s passport was confiscated by Hays County officials. <\/p>\n
‘We think he’s pretty much hunkered down underground,’ Gomez said. ‘If he does get caught in Mexico, hopefully we’d respectfully request the Mexican government deport him to the United States,’ Gomez said.<\/p>\n
Officials said anyone who assists the fugitive will face charges.<\/p>\n