HC refuses stay on student's arrest; Chinmayanand shifted to hospital

The Allahabad High Court on Monday refused to grant relief to the Shahjahanpur student seeking a stay on her possible arrest in an extortion case filed by BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand, who is accused of raping her.

Chinmayanand, who was arrested on Friday, was shifted on Monday from a Shahjahanpur jail to a Lucknow hospital, where he was tested for cardiac problems.

The special investigation team (SIT) probing the case submitted a report in a sealed cover before a two-judge bench.

Expressing satisfaction with the probe so far, the bench of Justices Manoj Mishra and Manju Rani Chauhan fixed October 22 for the probe team to submit the next report. The woman was also present in the court room.

The postgraduate law student had sought a stay on her arrest after the SIT booked her and arrested three men for allegedly trying to extort money from Chinmayanand.

"If the victim wants any relief in this regard, she may file a fresh petition before an appropriate bench," the high court said.

"This bench was nominated to the case only for monitoring the investigation in this matter and has no jurisdiction to pass order on stay of arrest."
The bench said there was also no allegation against a woman, who was present while the student's statement was being recorded. It added that the woman was apparently present in the chamber so that student may feel comfortable during the recording of the statement