Court grants bail to 3 women accused in Chaitanyanand Saraswati molestation case

NEW DELHI: The Patiala House Court on Saturday granted bail to three accused in a molestation case linked with Chaitnyanand Saraswati. Saraswati has been arrested in a case lodged at the Vasant Kunj North Police Station. This case has been lodged at the Complaint of students studying in the institute run by a trust.

Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Animesh Kumar granted bail to the three women, who were charge sheeted without arrest.

The court has granted them bail on furnishing a bail bond of Rs. 20000 each. The court had summoned them after taking cognisance of the charge sheet.

On November 27, the court took cognisance of the charge sheet filed against Chaitanyanand Saraswati and 4 other accused persons, including three women.

The Delhi Police on November 26 filed a charge sheet in the Patiala House court against Chaitanand Saraswati and other accused persons.

Saraswati was arrested on September 27 in Agra. The court has put up the matter for consideration tomorrow. The court took cognisance after a clarification by the additional Public Prosecutor (APP).

The court had sought clarification about a section invoked in the charge sheet. APP Raghav Khurana gave the clarification. Thereafter, the court took cognisance of the charge sheet. The copies of the chargesheet were supplied to the counsel of the accused.

During the hearing, Chaitnyanand Saraswati had appeared through video conferencing from Tihar Jail and alleged that an ASI mand handled him during the custody. He said that he is a senior citizen and a police officer assaulted him.

The court had also issued a production warrant to produce him in a cheating case. He is directed to be produced on December 2. Delhi Police had arrested him formally while in judicial custody.

Delhi Police has filed the charge sheet against 4 other accused, namely Harish Singh, Bhavna, Shweta and Kajal.

This charge sheet has been filed under sections 75(2), 79, 232, 351(3), 238 (b) etc of Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).

This charge sheet contains 1077 pages, and 43 witnesses are named by the police.

Earlier, the court had allowed his application seeking permission for keeping books, spectacles and for restricted diet. He was allowed to wear a Sanyasi robe by the jail authorities. (ANI)