The law student who had accused BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand of rape has been handed over to SIT and the Allahabad high court has refused to grant stay with respect to her arrest. Meanwhile, on September 23, Chinmayanad was admitted to the hospital following symptoms of angina.
Lucknow: The Allahabad high court refused to grant relief to the Shahjahanpur student seeking a stay on her possible arrest in an extortion case filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Swami Chinmayanand, who is accused of raping her.
The special investigation team (SIT) probing the case submitted a report in a sealed cover before a two-judge bench.
The postgraduate law student, who accused BJP leader Chinmayanand of sexual harassment, had sought a stay on her arrest after the SIT booked her and arrested three men for allegedly trying to extort money from the leader.
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 courtroom.
"If the victim wants any relief in this regard, she may file a fresh petition before an appropriate bench," the high court said.
The woman, who studied at a college run by Chinmayanand's ashram, had alleged that she was raped and physically exploited by the former Union minister for over a year. She first mentioned about the harassment in a video clip uploaded on social media last month.
Swami Chinmayanand was admitted to Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute (SGPGI) here on Monday (September 23) following symptoms of angina.
"Today morning Swami Chinmayanand was admitted in MICU Ward of SGPGI under professor PK Goel, head of the department of cardiology, with symptoms of angina," professor Amit Agarwal, chief medical superintendent of SGPGI, said in a statement. Former Union minister Chinmayanand is a known diabetic since long. "Angiography was done and no significant blockage was found and angioplasty was not required," Agarwal said.
According to the head of the department, Chinmayanand will be stabilized with medicines and then his discharge will be planned in due course of time.
On September 22, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, the organisation of Hindu saints and ascetics, had called a meeting of all the Akharas at Haridwar on October 10 to expel the BJP leader and former Union minister Swami Chinmayanand from the community.
According to sources, he will remain ousted from the saint community unless acquitted by the court.
A month after a law student levelled charges of rape against Chinmayanand, he was arrested on September 20 by Uttar Pradesh Police. He was charged with an offence not amounting to rape, stalking and criminal intimidation. He was remanded to 14-days judicial custody by a local court at Shahjahanpur.
As per police, Chinmayanand has accepted "all evidence" that have come up against him.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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