China priest under probe over rape claim
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<bod>AFP
Police in southwest China are investigating an allegation of rape against a popular Taoist priest, whose thousands of followers include a business tycoon and a pop singer, state media said on Monday. Li Yi allegedly raped a female college student in 2004 or 2005 and then tried to silence her by paying her 7,000 yuan (about $A1120), the Global Times and the Southern Metropolis Daily said, citing a former student of the priest.
"The rumour about the rape has been circulating around the temple for a long time," the former follower was quoted by the Global Times as saying. The Southern Metropolis Daily said police in the southwestern mega-city of Chongqing had confirmed they were investigating the allegations against Li, but police said they were unaware of the case. State media also said the local committee for religious affairs was looking into the matter.
Officials there declined to comment. Li has a reported 30,000 followers, who include business leaders such as Jack Ma, the founder of Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba.com, and celebrities such as Chinese pop singer Faye Wong. The priest is renowned for his expensive health and philosophy programs at the Shaolong Taoist Temple near Chongqing, the reports said.
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