Crime Branch files chargesheet against Sarathi Baba

Odisha Channel Bureau KENDRAPARA: Four months after the arrest of self-styled godman Sarathi Baba alias Santosh Raul, the Crime Branch of Odisha police today filed a chargesheet against the controversial and self-proclaimed spiritual guru.The CB filed the chargesheet before the court of Kendrapara Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate in connection with a case registered against the fake godman on August 18 last. Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate Pritish Kumar Routray later rejected the bail application moved by accused Sarathi.The controversial godman, now in jail, is facing charges under Sections 354 (outraging the modesty of woman), 120(B) (conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of Indian Penal Code after a woman from Haladidiha village near here had lodged complaint against him alleging that Sarathi and his aide Sarat Patra had outraged her modesty.It may be recalled that the self–styled godman Sarathi Baba was arrested by the Crime Branch on August 7 last year from his ashram in Barimula village on the outskirts of Kendrapara town under Section 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 468 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), 471 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 506 (criminal intimidation), 321 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 120(b) (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and 25 of the Arms Act.The gigantic ashram founded by Sarathi Baba had been officially evaluated at Rs4.48 crore.The ashram has now turned into temporary police barrack with armed police keeping vigil over it.The sprawling ashram stretched across 2.47 acre was a modern and well-equipped one with well-furnished guest house accommodation for comfortable sojourn of devoteesThe officials of Crime Branch had also seized the bank accounts of Sarathi Baba and his Satyam Charitable Trust in the State Bank of India, Allahabad Bank, Punjab National Bank and United Bank and Urban Cooperative Bank at Kendrapara.