Sexual harassment accused godman Chaitanyananda sent to 5-day police custody
New Delhi (PTI): A Delhi court on Sunday remanded Chaitanyananda Saraswati, a self-styled godman and a sexual harassment accused, to five days' police custody for questioning.
The order was announced by Duty Magistrate Ravi.
Saraswati, 62, accused of sexually harassing 17 women students at a private institute here, was apprehended from a hotel in Agra Sunday morning. He was produced before the judge at 3.40 pm.
During the arguments, the prosecution alleged that Saraswati had molested several women and sought sexual favours from them and that the testimonies of the victims had corroborated the allegations.
"He had given them threats. (CCTV) Cameras were installed to monitor their movement – some were installed in bathrooms. Around 16 girls have complained. Several other allegations need to be verified," the prosecution alleged.
The counsel for the accused countered the plea for custodial interrogation, saying all "16-20 women" women had already recorded their statements.
"You have already taken my phones, one iPad, and my luggage. I am diabetic, having anxiety issues, whose monk's robes have been taken away.
"I am not allowed to wear my robes. You want police custody only to harass me. In case you feel there is any threat (to the women), that can be countered by taking me in judicial custody," the counsel pleaded.
The advocate appearing for the complainant said police custody was required as the accused needed to be confronted with the statements of victims, digital, and other pieces of evidence.
The prosecution was using "hollow words," the defence counsel retorted.
The complainant's advocate said, "One witness has categorically stated that she would be picked up if she dared to complain. Investigation, which is at a nascent stage, runs the risk of being tampered with. Another FIR has been registered for the offence of cheating, where the accused's anticipatory bail has been rejected."
The advocate continued, "This is the first time he has joined the investigation in two months. Accused is not cooperating with the investigation. He has not given passwords of his iPad and iCloud. Mere seizure is not enough."
The defence counsel said that his client's conduct had nothing to do with the plea seeking police custody.
"They have data of around 40 CCTV cameras. They have to show a requirement for police custody," he said.
Police have frozen Rs 8 crore parked in multiple bank accounts and fixed deposits linked to Saraswati.
According to the FIR, Saraswati, a former chairman of a management institute in southwest Delhi, allegedly forced female students to visit his quarter late at night, and sent them inappropriate text messages at odd hours.
He allegedly kept track of the students' movements through his phone.
During the investigation, it was revealed that he allegedly used different names and particulars to operate multiple bank accounts and withdrew over Rs 50 lakh after the FIR was registered against him.
Saraswati allegedly submitted documents with varying particulars at the time of account opening.
Police also found fake visiting cards from him, showing his association with the United Nations and BRICS.
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21 hours raid fetch nothing for ED, claims Karnataka Cong MLA’s son
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Congress MLA N A Haris' son Mohammed Haris Nalapad on Tuesday claimed that the 21 hours of search by the ED in his house and other locations did not fetch anything.
The Enforcement Directorate on Monday raided the premises of the two sons of Haris (Mohammed Haris Nalapad and Omar Farook Nalapad), Aqeeb Khan, grandson of ex-Union cabinet minister K Rahman Khan and an alleged crypto hacker named Srikrishna Ramesh alias Sriki in a crypto currency-linked money laundering case.
More than a dozen premises in the city have been covered as part of the action executed under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
"My grandfather is 89-year-old. There is not a single bad mark. My father (N A Haris) is a four-time MLA. There is not a single accusation against him. Their only intention was to target myself and my brother. As simple as that," Mohammed Nalapad, who is a former Karnataka Youth Congress president, told reporters.
According to him, the ED officials carried out raids for 21 hours.
"After 21 hours of search, they took away only two mobile phones from our house. They did not get a single paisa. The ED will testify it," the Congress leader said.
Exuding faith in the law, he said he is ready to fight the case in court.
"Me and my father have opted for politics and we are in public life. You can call me whatever you want but I have not done anything wrong," Mohammed Nalapad said.
Regarding his relationship with Sriki, he said he knew him but had no clue what he was doing.
"I have never said that either me or my brother do not know Sriki. But how will I know what he does in his house? Can his crimes be linked to us," he asked.
The money laundering case stems from some Karnataka Police FIRs and chargesheets filed in a 2017 case of hacking of national and international websites, stealing of bitcoins and sale of these 'stolen' virtual digital assets (VDA) through crypto platforms by the alleged hacker Sriki and his associates.
The Nalapad brothers and Aqeeb Khan are alleged to be the beneficiaries of the proceeds of crime generated through this alleged crypto-linked crime, the ED said.
