Kathak dancer held for illegally availing VIP treatment

The Delhi Police on Friday arrested a Kathak dancer, Pulkit Maharaj, who claimed to be the "spiritual guru" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked for VIP treatment and other government privileges and perks during his visits to various states.

The police said Pulkit Maharaj, also known as Pulkit Mishra, was arrested from Crime Branch office of Rohini in west Delhi. He was called from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh for joining the investigation by the Crime Branch.

"When Pulkit Maharaj did not give satisfactory answers to most of questions and failed to show adequate evidence in support of his defence, the Crime Branch team arrested him," Additional Commissioner of Police Rajeev Ranjan told IANS.

"In the month of August, a senior officer from the government of India had registered a complaint against Pulkit Maharaj with the Crime Branch that Maharaj was illegally obtaining government services such as VIP treatment, other perks and special privileges during his every visit to states.

"He would send fax messages in advance to the District Magistrate and senior police officers of the city he would be visiting seeking government facilities," the officer said.

He also sent official letters to district magistrates on behalf of the Director of Art in the Ministry of Culture to avail VIP treatment. When he would visit these states, he displayed his various pictures with various Union Ministers and the President to impress them.

--IANS

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