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Former Union minister Chinmayanand, accused of rape, arrested

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 9/20/2019 3:13:20 PM

Former Union minister Swami Chinmayanand, accused of rape by a law student, was arrested on Friday and sent to 14 days judicial custody by a court in Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur.

The BJP leader, charged with stalking, wrongful confinement and intimidation, was arrested by the special investigation team (SIT) of Uttar Pradesh police from his residence 'Divya Dham' here around 8.50 am amid heavy security deployment.

He was taken for medical examination to a government hospital, following which he was taken to the the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate.

The court remanded Chinmayanand to 14 days judicial custody. He has been booked under sections 376c (Intercourse by superintendent of jail, remand home, etc), 354d (stalking), 342 (Punishment for wrongful confinement) and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) of the IPC, Senior Prosecution Officer Kuldeep Singh said.

Chinmayanand's counsel Pooja Singh said the SIT took signatures of Chinmayanand's relatives on the arrest memo but no arrest-related documents were given to them.

As Chinmayanand was taken for a medical check-up, patients at the government hospital had to face a tough time as they were not allowed to enter the premises.

Teams led by senior police officials were deployed at the court premises and the hospital. A team of police officials also patrolled the area to ensure there is no disturbance, a senior official said.

The woman, who is a postgraduate student at one of the colleges run by Chinmayanand's organisation, has alleged that she was raped and "physically exploited" for a year by the former Union minister.

The case is being investigated by the SIT set up by Uttar Pradesh police on the directions of the Supreme Court.

Chinmayanand, who was admitted to the medical college here on Wednesday, was referred to King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow.

But he chose to return to his residence on Thursday and get ayurvedic treatment there, according to his counsel Om Singh.

He underwent several tests at the Shahjahanpur hospital where a team of four doctors monitored his condition, a spokesperson told PTI.

The student had earlier threatened self-immolation if the police do not arrest him.

Inspector General Naveen Arora, who heads the SIT, said a mobile phone and a pen drive given by the student have been sent for forensic examination.

The pen drive contains 43 video clips which the student says support her allegations.

The SIT has also examined the principals of the two colleges where the woman studied in recent years.