By Webfit News | 7 October 2026 Virat Kohli’s representatives have rejected allegations that the former India captain received ₹5 crore to visit spiritual leader Premanand...
By Webfit News | 7 October 2026
Virat Kohli’s representatives have rejected allegations that the former India captain received ₹5 crore to visit spiritual leader Premanand Maharaj’s ashram in Vrindavan, saying his visits are motivated by personal faith.
The response follows claims by Dinesh Sharma, popularly known as Falahari Maharaj, that money was spent to arrange Kohli’s first visit to the ashram. The allegation has circulated widely online but has not been independently substantiated.
In a statement reported on Wednesday, Kohli’s spokesperson described Sharma’s allegations as “completely false, baseless and factually incorrect”.
His representatives said the cricketer visits Premanand Maharaj because of his faith and respect for the spiritual leader. They also urged media organisations to verify information before reporting or amplifying allegations.
Sharma, president of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Sangharsh Nyas, reportedly raised the claim in a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
According to The Indian Express, he alleged that a Rajasthan-based private company and a property-linked group spent ₹5 crore to facilitate Kohli’s first ashram visit in 2023, with the intention of increasing the spiritual centre’s public profile.
That allegation does not establish that Kohli personally received money. No independently verified evidence reviewed for this report substantiates a payment to the cricketer.
Kohli and his wife, actor Anushka Sharma, first reportedly visited Premanand Maharaj in Vrindavan on 4 January 2023. They have returned on several occasions, with photographs and videos of their meetings attracting considerable public attention.
Their visits are documented. The disputed issue is the claim of a financial arrangement behind them, which Kohli’s representatives have expressly denied.
The allegation emerged amid scrutiny of the ashram following the death of Premanand Maharaj’s disciple Rasik Dulari. The Indian Express reported that an investigation into the circumstances of his death was underway.
That separate investigation does not establish the payment allegation involving Kohli. As of 7 October, the claim remains unsubstantiated, and his team’s position is clear: the visits were an expression of faith.
Reporting references: NDTV and The Indian Express. Photograph credit: ANI, as identified in the supplied image.
