Crime Branch gets Sarathi Baba on fresh 3-day remand

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Aug 12:

The court of the Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) today allowed the Odisha Crime Branch to take controversial godman Shrimad Sarathi alias Sarathi Baba on a fresh three-day remand.

The Crime Branch had requested the court to take the Baba on a five-day remand. However, the court allowed only a three-day remand.

Crime Branch police produced Sarathi Baba in the SDJM court here amid tight security this morning at the end of his three-day remand granted by the same court on Tuesday.

The Crime Branch officials produced a document of 20 statements of Sarathi Baba and a seizure list of his properties.

Four platoons of armed police forces were deployed in and around the court premises to provide security to Sarathi Baba.

On the last day of the three-day remand, the Crime Branch officials had interrogated Sarathi Baba’s 13 associates including the caretaker, driver and the cook of his Barimula ashram in his presence.

The individual interrogation of the 13 associates had begun at 1 PM at the Crime Branch headquarters office after which each one of them was interrogated in the presence of the Baba till 8.30 PM.

The Crime Branch has collected vital information after interrogation of these 13 associates of the Baba.

As informed by the Crime Branch ADG, BK Sharma, properties worth about Rs 8-10 crore owned by the Baba and the Trust run by him have been identified during investigation.

Meanwhile, on the basis of the complaints lodged by the medico of SCB Medical College and Hospital, the Crime Branch has interrogated Kailash Mallick, Kishore Mallick, Nandi and Khageswar, he added.

He also said since Crime Branch has made vital breakthroughs during the three-day interrogation, it has increased the number of officials of its investigating team from three to 30.

“The main focus of investigation during the second phase remand will be on the financial transaction of the Baba and the Satyam Charitable Trust,” Sharma said.