The spiritual world of Vrindavan and the celebrity world of Indian cricket have suddenly collided, putting spiritual leader Premanand Maharaj, cricketer Virat Kohli and the Radha Keli Kunj Ashram under intense public scrutiny.

At the centre of the controversy are two separate but now closely connected developments: the death of 25-year-old Premanand Maharaj disciple Deepak Lodhi, also known as Rasik Dulari Sharan, at an ashram premises in Vrindavan, and an unverified claim that ₹5 crore was allegedly spent to facilitate Virat Kohli's visit to Premanand Maharaj.

Kohli's spokesperson has categorically rejected the financial allegation, calling it false and baseless and saying that the former India captain's visits are driven by personal faith and reverence. At the same time, police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of the young disciple, including CCTV footage, a physical injury, a grinder recovered from his room and potentially deleted material from his mobile phone.

The developments have generated considerable interest because Virat Kohli and his wife, actor Anushka Sharma, have been visiting Premanand Maharaj in Vrindavan for several years. Their association predates the current controversy by a significant margin.

What Happened to Premanand Maharaj's Disciple in Vrindavan?

The incident took place on September 25, 2026, at Guru Kripa Kunj in Vrindavan, Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh.

The deceased was identified as 25-year-old Deepak Lodhi, a resident of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. After taking initiation from Premanand Maharaj around two years ago, he was known within the spiritual community as Rasik Dulari Sharan.

According to the police investigation, Deepak fell from the fourth floor of the premises at approximately 10:36 am. He was taken to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The post-mortem examination attributed his death to excessive blood loss.

CCTV footage has emerged as an important piece of evidence. Investigators said the footage showed Deepak leaving his room at around 10:25 am, with what appeared to be blood stains on his clothes. He then moved towards the fourth-floor terrace, where he was seen sitting and later lying on the ground for several seconds.

He subsequently got up and went over the terrace before falling to the road below.

Police have described the death as a prima facie case of suicide, based on the CCTV sequence. However, investigators have continued examining what happened inside the room before Deepak reached the terrace.

Why Has a Grinder Become a Key Part of the Investigation?

The investigation became more complicated after police recovered a grinder from Deepak's room.

Investigators also found an injury to his private part. At present, police have not established how that injury occurred, when it occurred or whether it was connected to his death.

That distinction is important. The presence of an injury and the recovery of a grinder have attracted widespread attention, but neither finding, on its own, establishes that another person was involved in Deepak's death.

Police have seized relevant evidence and sent samples for forensic examination. Investigators are attempting to reconstruct Deepak's final hours and understand what happened before he left his room.

The investigation is therefore not simply focused on the fall itself. It is also examining the events immediately preceding it.

Could Deleted Chats Reveal What Happened?

Deepak's mobile phone has also become an important part of the probe.

Investigators are examining the device for potentially deleted chats, photographs and videos. The phone has been sent for forensic data recovery to determine whether deleted information can be retrieved.

Police are also looking at call records, communications and other digital evidence as they attempt to establish whom Deepak was communicating with during the period before his death.

However, there is currently no verified public evidence showing what the deleted chats contained. Any speculation about their contents should therefore be treated cautiously until investigators release confirmed information.

Police have also questioned people who were living at the ashram or had contact with Deepak. Reports indicate that dozens of statements have been recorded as part of the investigation.

Who Is Premanand Maharaj?

Premanand Maharaj is a prominent spiritual teacher based in Vrindavan, known for his devotion to Radha and Krishna and for his discourses on spirituality, faith and everyday life.

His association with Vrindavan has also attracted considerable attention from India's entertainment and sporting communities.

Several well-known personalities have visited him, but the relationship that has generated the most public interest in recent years is his connection with Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma.

The couple's first widely reported visit to the ashram took place in January 2023. They returned on multiple occasions, including around significant moments in Kohli's life and career.

One such visit came shortly after Kohli announced his Test retirement in May 2025. The couple have continued visiting Vrindavan and Premanand Maharaj even after Kohli's retirement from T20 internationals and Test cricket.

Why Does Virat Kohli Visit Premanand Maharaj?

The simplest explanation offered publicly is faith.

During an earlier interaction, Anushka Sharma spoke about having questions in her mind and finding answers through Premanand Maharaj's spiritual conversations. Kohli, meanwhile, has maintained a visible association with the spiritual leader without suggesting that the relationship is connected to any commercial arrangement.

Their repeated visits have consequently been viewed as a personal spiritual connection rather than a one-off celebrity appearance.

The latest controversy, however, has put those visits under a new spotlight.

What Is the ₹5 Crore Claim About Virat Kohli?

A separate controversy erupted after Dinesh Sharma, popularly known as Falahari Maharaj, alleged that ₹5 crore was spent to facilitate Virat Kohli's visit to Premanand Maharaj's ashram.

The allegation suggested that the visit was connected to efforts to increase the spiritual leader's popularity.

However, there is currently no publicly available evidence establishing that Virat Kohli received ₹5 crore for visiting the ashram.

Kohli's spokesperson has strongly rejected the allegation, describing it as "completely false, baseless and factually incorrect". The spokesperson said Kohli visits Premanand Maharaj purely because of his deep faith and reverence for him.

The statement also urged media organisations to verify claims before publishing or amplifying them.

That makes an important distinction in the controversy: the ₹5 crore figure is an allegation, not an established fact.

Did the Disciple's Death Trigger the Kohli Controversy?

The timing has contributed significantly to the public attention.

The allegations about Kohli emerged amid heightened scrutiny surrounding Premanand Maharaj's ashram following the death of Rasik Dulari Sharan.

But the two issues should not automatically be treated as evidence of a direct connection.

Police are investigating Deepak's death independently, examining CCTV footage, his physical injury, material recovered from his room and digital evidence from his phone. Meanwhile, the claim concerning Virat Kohli's alleged payment has been categorically denied by his spokesperson, with no public evidence currently establishing the allegation.

The fact that Deepak was a disciple associated with Premanand Maharaj's spiritual organisation does not, by itself, establish that the spiritual leader was responsible for or involved in the circumstances of the death.

What Happens Next?

The investigation into Deepak Lodhi's death is still developing.

Forensic examination of his phone could potentially help investigators determine whether deleted conversations, photographs or videos contain information relevant to his final days. Police are also examining CCTV footage, forensic samples and statements from people connected to the ashram.

At the same time, the ₹5 crore allegation against Virat Kohli remains disputed and unsubstantiated in the publicly available evidence.

For now, two separate narratives have become intertwined in public discussion: the mysterious death of a young Premanand Maharaj disciple in Vrindavan and the controversy surrounding Virat Kohli's repeated visits to the spiritual leader.

The investigation may eventually answer some of the questions surrounding Deepak's final hours. Until then, speculation should not be mistaken for evidence.

And as far as the Virat Kohli-Premanand Maharaj ₹5 crore controversy is concerned, Kohli's position is clear: his team has rejected the claim and maintained that his visits are motivated by faith and personal reverence.

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