Prakash G. Rajyaguru is out on $50,000 bail.
By The American Bazaar Staff
NEW YORK: In a shocking case of invasion of privacy, betrayal of trust and unlawful surveillance, an Indian IT Consultant in Amherst, New York, Prakash G. Rajyaguru, 46, was arrested for placing video cameras in restrooms and showers of two homes of people he knew and at a local Hindu temple he volunteered at, to record young girls between the ages of 11-14.
Though Rajyaguru, of Crown Royal Drive, who is married with two teenage sons, was arrested last month, the matter came to light when the Amherst Police announced it earlier this month, on October 6th. Investigations are still on, as the pervert is out on $50,000 bail, reported The Buffalo News.
Rajyaguru was charged with second-degree unlawful surveillance, a felony. He also was charged with misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a minor. The case against him is expected to be presented to an Erie County grand jury for review.
Lt. Joseph A. LaCorte said announcement of the arrest was delayed because Amherst police continued to investigate Rajyaguru’s activities and that they are still seeking information from more victims who believe they also may have been secretly taped.
“We’re thinking there may be more victims out there,” LaCorte said. “This was more than just a peeping Tom. He was hiding cameras in ladies rooms and showers.”
He added that police also suspect Rajyaguru may have taped some women in gathering places frequented by fellow members of his community.
The News also reported that Rajyaguru used a camera to spy on girls in a changing room at an Amherst Hindu temple where he volunteered, in addition to allegedly placing cameras in the homes of two families he was friendly with, according to police and officials at the Hindu Cultural Society of Western New York.
WGRZ channel reported Amherst Police Lt. Joseph Lacorte as saying: “One of the victims’ parents came to us. They came across something suspicious looking in their rest room and they realized what it was. They brought it to us. It was just a portable little type camera, I guess what you might call a lipstick camera that he could just set down, record what he wanted, go right back in and grab it and no one would even realize it was there.”
Dr. Kailash Lall, president of the Hindu Cultural Society, was quoted by the News as saying Rajyaguru betrayed the trust of temple members and his friends and is no longer allowed on temple grounds.
“We want to make sure that everyone understands he will not be coming back. We have changed all the locks and no cameras have been found on the temple property,” Lall said.
The evidence collected so far by Amherst detectives includes a video that appears to have been recorded inside a changing area at the temple, on the 1500 block of North French Road.
“He liked young girls,” Lt. Joseph A. LaCorte said. “That age group seemed to pique his interest. We have an abundance of possible evidence that we are still are reviewing.”
Police first became aware of the recordings after the family of a girl contacted them, said the report.
“The victim’s parents spotted something suspicious and brought it to the attention of police,” LaCorte said.
As the investigation progressed, LaCorte said detectives learned of another family that found a camera in their home.
Rajyaguru had also volunteered at a weeklong summer camp held for children at the Hindu temple last summer and at social events throughout the regular year, temple officials said.
Hindu Cultural Society Vice President Dr. Kishore Divan told WGRZ, “Because of his IT background and everything else he was helping people here in the different functions and activities…for audio-visual, filming, and everything.”
1 Comment
If he is convicted…..he will have a sex offender label. If there are multi victoms….he might spend decades in prison.
Good luck to ya.