Crime Branch grills Sarathi Baba’s aides

Odisha Channel Bureau Kendrapara, Aug 11: At least 14 close aides of controversial godman Sarathi Baba were taken into preventive custody today by the Crime Branch of Odisha police even as investigators claimed to have made further detection of the accumulated movable and movable assets and bank deposits of the arrested godman.Those taken to Crime Branch headquarters from Kendrapara were either followers or assistants who extended both overt and covert patronage towards Baba’s drive in amassing wealth and opulence.“They have been detained and are being presently grilled by crime branch officials.Though no prima-facie has so far been found against, we are confident of detecting incriminating evidence against them,” said an official of the Branch on condition of anonymity.Sarathi during questioning revealed the names of their close aides and on the basis of his statement; they have been brought to crime branch headquarters to expedite the ongoing investigation on the Sarathi controversies.Many of them are believed to be the owners of Baba’s benami property in Kendrapara.Some of those detained are traders and Baba made huge investment in their business, revealed Crime Branch officials.“We are on the job of rounding up at least two dozen of other close aides of the controversial godman.“All of them figured in the inner circle of Baba and were in the ‘know’ of arrested nefarious activities in and outside the ashram found by him at Barimula village near Kendrapara town,” sources in the Crime branch added.