UP: FIR against Swami Chinmayanand after student goes missing

An FIR has been registered against former Union minister and BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand after a law student who alleged he had been harassing her went missing, police said on Tuesday.

Chinmayanand has been booked under section 364 (abduction) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, the police said.

The girl's family has alleged that the BJP leader was responsible for the law student's disappearance.

A video of the missing girl had gone viral on August 24 in which she had alleged that a person from 'Sant Samaj' has destroyed the lives of many women and he has done the same to her. She also alleged that the person had also warned her that he would kill her and her parents.

The parents of the girl had told ANI that their daughter went missing after her video accusing Chinmayanad went viral on social media.

Meanwhile, Chinmayanand's lawyer has alleged that the BJP leader had received a message on his mobile phone on August 22 from an unknown number demanding Rs 5 crore and threatening that if the money is not given, then they will release an explicit video of the leader.

An FIR has also been lodged against unknown people for allegedly demanding the extortion, the police said.

"On August 22, Chinmayanand received a message demanding Rs 5 crore. An FIR against unknown persons was registered and we are investigating the matter. Her (the girl) father had alleged that she was abducted. An FIR has been lodged against Chinmayanand on his complaint," Shahjahanpur SP S Chanappa said.

He said that the police were working to ensure the safe return of the girl and to arrest the person who allegedly threatened the BJP leader and demanded extortion.

The girl's father has been provided security cover, he said.

The police have also taken a person into custody in connection with the extortion case.