Evangelist held for murder conspiracy
Police say Kilari Anand Paul tried to have suspect in brother's killing slain
Evangelist K.A. Paul addressing the media in Ongole before being taken into custody on May 21
- ucanews.com reporter, Hyderabad
- India
- May 22, 2012
Controversial Indian-born US evangelist Kilari Anand Paul has been arrested and charged in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh with conspiracy to commit murder.
Paul, who founded the Praja Shanthi Party, was arrested on Sunday along with three associates for allegedly conspiring to kill another associate, Koteswara Rao, the main suspect in the 2010 murder of Paul's brother K David Raju.
A local magistrate remanded Paul and the other three suspects in custody for 15 days.
Police say the evangelist, who claims to have counseled several world leaders, was trying to eliminate Rao, after his former associate threatened to implicate him in the murder of Raju.
It is believed Paul had differences with his brother over control of a charity in the state.
A police spokesman said Paul had allegedly tried to hire assassins to kill Rao for one billion rupees (US$200,000).
He said Paul was caught on camera paying an advance of 300,000 rupees for the killing to undercover officers and was later arrested while out campaigning for a candidate from his party in an upcoming by-election.
Paul has called the charges a political conspiracy.
The evangelist was born into a poor Hindu family in September 1963 but his parents later converted to Christianity.
Paul, whose father Barnabas was also a self-styled evangelist, claimed he felt a calling and entered into full-time ministry when he was just 19.
He is also the founder of the Global Peace Initiative, which involves peace rallies staged in many countries around the world.
However, the evangelist’s life has been dogged by controversy.
His private Boeing 747 which he named Global Peace One alias Global Peace Ambassadors was grounded in 2005 over non-payment of landing and maintenance fees.
In 2005, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability terminated the membership of Paul's organization for failing to meet financial accountability and governance standards.
Two years earlier Paul was embroiled in a public row with the then chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who Paul said had sought US$5 million from him for party funds.
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Police to deport US evangelist
Paul, who founded the Praja Shanthi Party, was arrested on Sunday along with three associates for allegedly conspiring to kill another associate, Koteswara Rao, the main suspect in the 2010 murder of Paul's brother K David Raju.
A local magistrate remanded Paul and the other three suspects in custody for 15 days.
Police say the evangelist, who claims to have counseled several world leaders, was trying to eliminate Rao, after his former associate threatened to implicate him in the murder of Raju.
It is believed Paul had differences with his brother over control of a charity in the state.
A police spokesman said Paul had allegedly tried to hire assassins to kill Rao for one billion rupees (US$200,000).
He said Paul was caught on camera paying an advance of 300,000 rupees for the killing to undercover officers and was later arrested while out campaigning for a candidate from his party in an upcoming by-election.
Paul has called the charges a political conspiracy.
The evangelist was born into a poor Hindu family in September 1963 but his parents later converted to Christianity.
Paul, whose father Barnabas was also a self-styled evangelist, claimed he felt a calling and entered into full-time ministry when he was just 19.
He is also the founder of the Global Peace Initiative, which involves peace rallies staged in many countries around the world.
However, the evangelist’s life has been dogged by controversy.
His private Boeing 747 which he named Global Peace One alias Global Peace Ambassadors was grounded in 2005 over non-payment of landing and maintenance fees.
In 2005, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability terminated the membership of Paul's organization for failing to meet financial accountability and governance standards.
Two years earlier Paul was embroiled in a public row with the then chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who Paul said had sought US$5 million from him for party funds.
Related reports
Police to deport US evangelist
