Media365
3 min readNew DelhiOct 7, 2026 12:24 PM IST
Cricketer Virat Kohli has dismissed claims that he first visited the ashram of spiritual leader Premanand Maharaj in exchange for money, calling the allegations ‘baseless and factually incorrect’. He emphasised his deep faith as the reason for his visits, along with actor wife Anushka Sharma, to the ashram.
The allegations began after the death of a disciple of Premanand Ji Maharaj, Rasik Dulari, under mysterious circumstances at his Radha Keli Kunj Ashram. Falahari Maharaj Dinesh Sharma, president of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Sangharsh Nyas, claimed that Virat Kohli was paid Rs 5 crore to visit the ashram for the first time. Kohli’s team, however, has categorically refuted the claim. The cricketer’s spokesperson issued an official statement saying, “We would like to categorically state that the claims made by Falahari Maharaj Dinesh Sharma in regards to Mr Virat Kohli are completely false, baseless and factually incorrect.”
The statement further read, “Mr Virat Kohli visits Premanand Maharaj Ji purely out of his deep faith and reverence for Maharaj Ji.” It concluded, “We strongly refute these claims and urge the media to exercise due diligence, verify facts before reporting or amplifying such statements, and report responsibly.”
What sparked the controversy?
Following Rasik Dulari’s death, Sharma alleged that the builder lobby and land mafia had been using the name of Premanand Maharaj’s ashram for public relations and running an alleged extortion racket.
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In a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Dinesh Sharma alleged that a Rajasthan-based private company and a property builder lobby had spent Rs 5 crore to facilitate Kohli’s first visit to the ashram in 2023. He alleged that the motive was to boost the popularity and reach of the ashram. The investigation into Rasik Dulari’s death is underway.
When Virat-Anushka first visited Premanad Maharaj
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma first visited Vrindavan on January 4, 2023, to seek the blessings of Premanand Maharaj. Since then, the couple has made several visits to meet the spiritual leader, including before and after IPL matches and during their trips to India from London.
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Multiple videos from the couple’s visits to the spiritual leader often go viral on social media. Their most recent visit was on July 22, 2026, when they visited Premanand Maharaj at his ashram in Vrindavan. The couple made headlines after they were seen walking barefoot through the drizzle to seek his blessings.
