Infamous Odisha godman Sura Baba walks out of jail

Bhubaneswar: More than two years after getting arrested, Odisha’s controversial and self-proclaimed godman Sura Baba alias Surendranath Mishra was today released from Jharpada Special Jail here.

The Supreme Court had on November 28 granted him bail in a land fraud case of Chhatrapur area in Ganjam district.

It may be recalled here that Sura Baba and his two sons were arrested by the Balipatna police on August 31, 2015.

The trio was arrested under section 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 342 (Punishment for wrongful confinement), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 294 (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC and section 3(I)(x) of the ST and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached moveable and immoveable properties worth Rs 15 crore belonging to Sura Baba and his two sons– Trilochan and Biranchi Narayan.

The attached properties include Sura Baba’s Trahi Achyuta ashram, his house and lands at Jhinti Sasan on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar and deposits in various banks held by him and his sons.

While the self-styled godman’s ashram, house and lands have been valued at Rs 12.60 crore, combined value of bank deposits held by the trio is Rs 2.35 crore.