Jakarta - A man who led an Islamic religious sect whose rituals include having group sex turned himself in Thursday, police in Jakarta said.

Police launched an investigation after a woman complained that she was sexually assaulted in a religious ritual led by Agus Noro, who claims to be a messiah and God incarnate.

Agus surrendered to police and would be charged with sexual indecency, said Jakarta police spokesman Zulkarnaen, who like many Indonesians goes by only one name.

"We can't yet look into the issue of blasphemy until the government declares it [the sect] is deviant," he said.

Former sect followers told the Detik. com news portal that Agus, also known as Imam Solichin, had told them to perform ritual nudity so that they could go to heaven.

They also said Agus often gave sermons wearing only underpants, Detik. com reported. dpa