Danish man says Odisha godman cheated him of Rs.2 crore

A Danish national on Wednesday accused self-styled godman Swami Shankarananda Giri of Odisha of cheating him of over Rs.2 crore.

Allen Nielsen of Munkebo in Denmark, who filed a cheating complaint against Shankarananda in February 2010 and later again in 2015, on Wednesday submitted additional documents against the self-styled godman at the Saheed Nagar police station in Bhubaneswar.

Nielsen also recorded his statement before police.

"Even though police registered a case following my complaint, no action was taken against the influential godman for duping me about 320,000 euro in phases between 2000 and 2010," he told media persons here.

Nielsen, who came in contact with Shankarananda at a religious seminar in Denmark in 1991, said he gave the money for investment purposes after having faith in the godman.

Shakarananda is the head of the Kriya Yoga ashram and founder of the Prabhujee English Medium School in the Odisha capital.

Police said a charge sheet was filed in 2014 and the case is in its trial stage.

The Orissa High Court had granted bail to the godman.

As no action was taken against him, Nielsen filed another cheating complaint against the godman at the same police station in May 2015.

"We filed a fresh FIR against the godman after gathering additional information to make our case strong. Today, we came to the police station to submit additional information relating to the FIR," said Nielsen's lawyer Laxminarayan Rayatsingh.

The lawyer also alleged that the godman had threatened to kill his client when he demanded that his money be returned.

Meanwhile, the revenue divisional commissioner has written to 10 district collectors to collect information about the godman and his alleged encroachment of government land.