Two Women Claim Yoga Guru|Bikram Choudhury Raped Them

"Other students have reported that it is common for students to collapse and be unable to rise, or to be overcome with weeping in a room full of hundreds of people due to the sheer physical exhaustion," the complaint states.

Doe claims that before she entered into teacher training, she was a "happy carefree person."

Though she was initially flattered by the "special attention" and compliments she received from Choudhury in class, she says that changed when he made advances and professed his love for her.

She says she rebuffed Choudhury and reminded him that she had a boyfriend and that he was married. But his advances continued until he sexually assaulted her on Nov. 18, 2010 in his room at the studio, she says in the complaint.

Doe claims that on the night of the attack, Choundhury told her he wanted to discuss a job offer in his room.

"Defendant Bikram Choudhury said he saw himself in plaintiff (he had said that to her before) and that, 'I need to spiritually enlighten you. In order to do that, we need to become one.' Then, without warning or consent, defendant Bikram Choudhury forcefully pulled plaintiff towards him and had one hand around her and the other was unbuttoning her jeans. He hooked his hand at the top of her pants and tried to pull them down with force," the complaint states.

Though in a "weakened state" from her training, Doe says she pushed Choudhury away, but he threatened her, grabbed her by the wrist and forced her into his bedroom.

"Defendant Bikram Choudhury pulled her pants down and forced her onto the bed. Plaintiff Jane Doe No.2 could not stop crying and kept begging him over and over to stop. He forced his unprotected penis in her vagina. Within moments it was over. The only thing defendant Bikram Choudhury said was, 'How many times did you come?' Plaintiff Jane Doe No.2 was in pain, in shock and could not speak. Defendant Bikram Choudhury then ordered plaintiff to watch him until he fell asleep," according to the complaint.

Doe adds: "The next day during lecture, defendant Bikram Choudhury made offensive sexual comments to the whole class. It was demoralizing and humiliating. He told the plaintiff and rest of the class that when he first moved to the U.S. women raped him all the time and taught him how to have sex. Defendant Bikram Choudhury said he would have sex marathons. Then he started talking about women's bodies and how he liked 'pussy' without hair on it. Defendant Bikram Choudhury said, 'I can't stand fat unattractive women.' As he spoke, his voice was becoming more and more intense and his language more vulgar.'"

Doe claims the defendant studio did nothing to protect her from Choudhury. She claims that a male instructor her to finish the program, telling her: "'We all know how Bikram is, that's just part of it.'"

She claims: "During graduation, defendant Bikram Choudhury insisted that plaintiff stay by his side the whole time. By this point her spirit was drained and she was operating out of total fear. Defendant Bikram Choudhury made her sit next to him at the dinner table even though his wife Rajashtee (Raj) was there. It was humiliating. At one point during the dinner, as if knowing what had happened, Raj told defendant Bikram Choudhury to 'let her go.'"

Doe claims that when she told Choudhury she planned to leave the studio, he told her, among other things, "'If you fuck with me, I'll fuck with you.' ...

"Plaintiff Jane Doe No. 2's life unraveled after she returned home. Her long term relationship fell apart, she went into a severe depression, attempted suicide, started drinking, doing drugs, engaged in uncharacteristically impulsive behavior, quit her job and cut off communication from almost everyone in her life," the complaint states.

She says she "lived in constant fear" that Choudhury would come to her home and attack her. Doe claims that some people enter the United States illegally to "volunteer" in the program.

"Once in the United States, these 'volunteers' are required to serve defendant Bikram Choudhury for zero or little pay. Their duties include grooming him, massaging him, making his tea, bring him food and being forced to submit to sexual assaults and rapes against their will," according to the complaint.

Doe seeks punitive damages, lost wages, and costs.

Jane Doe No. 1's complaint is substantially the same. She claims that Choudhury raped her twice.

Both women are represented by Mary Shea Hagebols with Shea Law Offices, of Oakland.

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit