A priest associated with the Swaminarayan sect here in Gujarat was arrested Wednesday for allegedly raping a 20-year-old woman on two occasions under the pretext of offering money for her mother's surgery, the police said.

The accused Nikunj alias Karan Swarupdas Babubhai Savani (24) had allegedly raped the woman, a local resident, around a fortnight ago in a room adjacent to the Swaminarayan temple at Dabholi under Katargam police station and again on October 23, a police official said.