In Brief
- Virat Kohli denied allegations made by Falahari Maharaj Dinesh Sharma claiming he was paid ₹5 crore to visit Premanand Maharaj’s ashram.
- Kohli’s spokesperson stated that the cricketer’s visit to Vrindavan was driven purely by deep personal faith and spiritual reverence.
- The official statement termed the financial claims completely false, baseless, and factually incorrect, while urging media outlets to exercise due diligence.
Former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has issued an official statement refuting claims that he accepted a ₹5 crore fee to visit spiritual leader Premanand Maharaj’s ashram in Vrindavan. The clarification came in response to allegations made by Falahari Maharaj Dinesh Sharma (President of Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Sangharsh Nyas) in a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, alleging that monetary compensation was involved in facilitating the cricketer's initial visit.
Rejecting the allegations in their entirety, Kohli’s spokesperson clarified that his visits—which began on January 4, 2023, alongside his wife Anushka Sharma—have been undertaken strictly out of personal faith. "Mr Virat Kohli visits Premanand Maharaj Ji purely out of his deep faith and reverence for Maharaj Ji," the spokesperson stated, dismissing the claims as "completely false, baseless, and factually incorrect," while urging media platforms to exercise due diligence before disseminating unverified reports.
