Chinmayanand arrested by SIT, jailed for 2 wks
SIT arrests 3 men for ‘extortion’
Shahjahanpur, Sept. 20: BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand, accused of rape by a law student, was on Friday arrested and sent to 14 days’ judicial custody, and has apparently told the police he was sorry for his behaviour.
But the special investigation team (SIT) probing the case also arrested three other men — all charged with trying to extort money from the former Union minister, and named an unidentified woman as a suspect in the same case.
The student claimed the police are trying to weaken the case against the ruling party politician.
It was also not entirely clear if Chinmayanand had apologised for the alleged rape, or for getting the woman to massage him, which was recorded on video — and shown to him during the investigation.
The charges against him were also unclear. While Uttar Pradesh police chief O.P. Singh said Chinmayanand was arrested in connection with rape, a press note issued by the SIT probing the case mentioned a lesser charge.
Instead of Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code, which refers to rape, the SIT statement listed Section 376C, which relates to coercive “sexual intercourse by person in authority”.
The section is usually applied in cases where a person abuses his position to induce a woman under his charge to have sex with him. The student studied at a college run by the 72-yearold leader’s ashram.
If proved, a rape charge can lead to punishment of up to life imprisonment. Someone convicted under Section 376C can be jailed for between five and 10 years.
Hours after the arrest, the student indicated that she is not satisfied with the charges under which Chinmayanand was arrested. “It is an attempt to weaken the case against him,” she told reporters.
The case is being investigated by an SIT ■
The CBI is set to examine former Samajwadi Party MP Ateeq Ahmad in connection with its probe pertaining to the alleged kidnapping and assault of a Lucknowbased businessman in a day or two. The agency has already arrested Zaki Ahmad, a relative of Ateeq Ahmad, in connection with the case.
“The agency wants to confront Ateeq Ahmad with the statements given by Zaki Ahmad in connection with the case,” sources said.
Sources said Zaki Ahmad, the brother-inlaw of Ateeq Ahmad, was taken into custody following recent searches at his residence in Allahabad. They said `8 lakh in cash was also seized from Zaki Ahmad. The searches were conducted at four places in Allahabad — at the residences of Ahmad, his son Umer and his aides Zaki Ahmed and Farooq.
The residences of his CA Nitesh Mishra and his alleged aide Pawan Kumar Singh were also searched in Lucknow.