Delhi court rejects bail plea of Chaitanyananda Saraswati in forgery case

A Delhi court on Friday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati in an alleged cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy case against him.

Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur said, "Investigation of the present case is at a nascent stage and the investigating officer (IO) requires custodial interrogation of the applicant/ accused to establish the entire chain of fraud, cheating, conspiracy and misappropriation of funds. As per the version of IO, the applicant/ accused is not available at his given address, and his mobile phone is switched off."  "Considering the seriousness of allegations and gravity of offence, this Court is not inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the applicant/ accused. Therefore, the present bail application stands dismissed," the judge added.

The FIR in the case has been registered for the offences of cheating by personation, cheating by dishonestly inducing a person to deliver property or consent to its retention, forgery, forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine, criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.

The self-styled godman has also been booked for allegedly sexually harassing 17 female students of a private management institute here.

Police said their investigation has found that Chaitanyananda allegedly tightened his control over the institute by sub-letting the properties of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamsthanam Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, which runs it, to private companies for financial gains.

"He reportedly used the proceeds to purchase high-end luxury vehicles," an officer said.

So far, two cars have been traced to Saraswati -- a Volvo with a forged diplomatic number plate '39 UN 1' registered with a fake address and a BMW he purchased in March.