Chinmayanand case: Woman hands over evidence to SIT

THE SIT, ALONG WITH A FORENSIC TEAM, TOOK WOMAN TO THE ASHRAM AND INSPECTED CHINMAYANAND’S ROOM

LUCKNOW: The law student who has levelled sexual harassment charges against former BJP MP Swami Chinmayanand has submitted a pen drive to the special investigation team (SIT) conducting the probe.

An official privy to the matter said, “The woman submitted a pen drive to the SIT that she claimed contains video evidence.” He said the complainant had told the SIT that the former minister had exploited some other girls of her college, he said.

She also alleged that some items, including an almirah, had been removed from the room.

While talking to media in Shahjahanpur, the woman said, “The SIT asked me to identify the room where a video was shot to blackmail me and I have done so. I had a pen drive that was taken away from me earlier. But I have submitted a copy of it.”

However, she did not disclose who took away her pen drive. The SIT, along with a forensic team, took the woman to the ashram and inspected Chinmayanand’s bedroom. The woman reportedly told the SIT that the interior of the room had been changed.

On Saturday, the SIT recorded the statement of her mother. Earlier, on Friday, the SIT had asked the former minister not to leave the town without informing them.

The former Union minister has been grilled by the SIT for eight hours at the Shahjahanpur police lines. Chinmayanand’s lawyer Om Singh said, “Swamiji is cooperating with the SIT in the probe. We have full faith in the investigation team. We want the truth to come out. A room in the ashram was sealed, which was opened on Friday evening after the SIT and the forensic team completed their inspection.”

The SIT has also visited the hostel room of the 23-year-old complainant. A day before that she had claimed that evidence supporting her allegations against Chinmayanand were kept in her hostel room. “The room was opened in the presence of the woman and her father,” said a police official.