In Chinmayanand case, UP SIT likely to file charge sheet today

The Uttar Pradesh police’s Special Investigation Team probing the rape-and-extortion case involving Swami Chinmayanand has finalised the charge sheet against the former Union minister and also the woman student who accused him of rape and sexual harassment (who herself has been accused of extortion).

According to SIT chief Naveen Arora, the charge sheet mentions that DPS Rathore, a BJP leader, was also involved in an attempt to extort ₹1.25 crore from Chinmayanand. Rathore, who is Shahjahanpur district cooperative bank chairman, was not available for the comment.

Rathore’s aide Ajeet Kumar is the brother-in- law of one of the accused in the extortion case according to Arora.

The SIT has prepared a 4700-page charge sheet in both cases and will submit it to the Allahabad high court on Wednesday, Arora added.

Rathore and Kumar have been charged under Sections 385 (extortion), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. The SIT has yet not arrested them but has included their name. Rathore and Kumar told the woman and her friend Sanjay to hand over all evidence (stored in a pen drive) to them so that it could be kept safe, said Arora. The SIT recorded statements of 105 people and added 24 pieces of physical evidence, and 55 documents in the charge sheet. The SIT has concluded the probe and will file a final status report on November 28.

Meanwhile, forensic labs studying the videos featuring Chimayanand and the woman have said they have not been tampered with. Voice samples have also confirmed their authenticity. “We traced the WhatsApp number from which the extortion message was sent to Chinmayanand. That number was installed by Sanjay...it’s sufficient to book them under IT Act,” Arora said, referring to the extortion case.

The SIT probe suggests that the evidence from woman’s hostel room was removed by her and Sanjay Kumar—one of the accused in the extortion case. “It is believed that a pair of spectacles (with an in-built camera) was also taken away by them. They took away every small thing from the room. How could they leave such important evidence behind?” Arora asked.

Two reports--one, regarding the police functioning and other about lapses on the part of college administration-- will be submitted to the government, he added. The HC will hear the bail plea of the woman on November 6 and Chinmayanand’s bail plea on November 8.