Mar 22, 2013 7:21am

The founder of Bikram yoga is in the hot seat once again.

Bikram Choudhury is the pioneer of the widely successful hot yoga. He teaches his 26-pose sequence in sweltering 105 degree temperatures. In a recent twist, however, student Sarah Baughn is suing him for sex-based discrimination and sexual harassment.

The complaint claims that Baughn was discriminated against as a woman because she did not submit to Choudhurys repeated demands for sex, and because she successfully fought him off when he sexually assaulted her.Baughn claimsthat because of her repeated refusal, she also was hindered professionally and was denied the judge-determined title of yogas International Champion in 2008.

Hes affirmatively tried to block her from progressing in her career because she stood up for herself and rebuffed him, argued Baughns lawyer, Mary Shea Hagebols.

Choudhury did not respond to ABC News request for comment. In an interview with ABC News David Wright last fall, Choudhury said, Women in the world love me, because I take care of the women. But yogi is supposed to be yogi. They cannot involve with women.

Baughn first met Choudhury in the spring of 2005 when she attended his teacher training course in Los Angeles with 300 students. She first regarded Choudhury as a hero who changed her life but claims that she then noticed he chose some women as favorites to brush his hair and massage his body.

During the course, Choudhury allegedly flirted with Baughn by telling her that they had known each other in a past life and that they had a strong, meaningful connection. The complaint claims that he asked her, What should we do about this? Should we make this a relationship? I have never, never felt this way about anyone. Only you.

During this training, while Choudhury was, according to the complaint, pretending to assist her, he pushed her down toward the floor after pulling her arm and leg apart and opening her body. Defendant Bikram Choudhury then pressed his body into hers, and began whispering sexual things to her until she collapsed into sobs.

Bikram yoga, which Choudhury started in the 1970s, is extremely popular and has more than 350 studios in the United States,plus hundreds throughout the world. Because of its popularity, Choudhury has a large fan base and frequently hosts seminars to hundreds of students.

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'Hot Yoga ' Guru Faces Sexual Harassment Charges