Virat Kohli’s spokesperson has strongly denied claims that the former India captain was paid ₹5 crore to visit spiritual leader Premanand Maharaj’s ashram in Vrindavan, describing the allegation as “completely false, baseless and factually incorrect”.
The allegation was made by Dinesh Sharma, popularly known as Falahari Maharaj, who is the president of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Sangharsh Nyas, a religious advocacy organisation based in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.
Sharma claimed that ₹5 crore was spent to facilitate Kohli’s visit to Premanand Maharaj’s ashram.
There is, however, no publicly available evidence establishing that Kohli received such a payment. His spokesperson has now categorically rejected the claim.
Kohli’s spokesperson denies claims
“We would like to categorically state that the claims made by Falahari Maharaj Dinesh Sharma in regards to Mr. Virat Kohli are completely false, baseless and factually incorrect,” Kohli’s spokesperson said in an official statement.
The spokesperson further stressed that Kohli’s visits to Premanand Maharaj were driven by personal faith rather than any financial arrangement.
“Mr. Virat Kohli visits Premanand Maharaj Ji purely out of his deep faith and reverence for Maharaj Ji,” the statement added.
Kohli and his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, first visited Premanand Maharaj’s ashram in Vrindavan in January 2023. The couple were accompanied by their daughter, Vamika, during that visit and were seen attending a spiritual discourse. They subsequently returned to the ashram on multiple occasions.
Kohli’s spokesperson also urged media organisations to verify claims before publishing or amplifying them.
“We strongly refute these claims and urge the media to exercise due diligence, verify facts before reporting or amplifying such statements, and report responsibly,” the spokesperson said.
The controversy comes as Kohli continues his international career in the ODI format. He retired from T20Is in 2024 and announced his retirement from Test cricket in May 2025, leaving ODIs as his only international format.
The 37-year-old also remains an important part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League. RCB secured consecutive IPL titles in 2025 and 2026, with Kohli playing a key role in the franchise’s second championship triumph in 2026. He scored an unbeaten 75 in the final against Gujarat Titans, including the winning six.
Kohli’s next international assignment is expected to be India’s five-match ODI series against New Zealand, beginning in November.
Beyond that, attention will increasingly turn towards the 2027 ODI World Cup. The tournament will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from 2 October to 21 November, with India beginning their group-stage campaign against Australia in Cape Town on 7 October.
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