Bhubaneswar: A designated court in Odisha’s Cuttack has framed charges against self-styled godman Sarathi Baba alias Santosh Raul in connection with a case registered against him by the Crime Branch in 2015.

The Special Court for SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (ADJ-3) in Cuttack framed charges against Raul, who had been arrested from his ashram in Kendrapara district in August 2015.

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Raul had been arrested by the Crime Branch for his indulgence in criminal activities and cheating people by misusing religious and spiritual practices.

The self-styled godman was booked under various Sections of the IPC, Arms Act-1959 and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act-1989.

The self-styled godman was released from jail in 2019

The Crime Branch had filed a chargesheet against Raul in December 2015. He was accused of cheating, hatching conspiracy, forgery, forgery for purpose of cheating, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy and outraging the modesty of woman among other things.

Raul had been released from jail in 2019 after the Supreme Court as well as the Orissa High Court granted him bail.

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The Special Court for SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in Cuttack framed charges against Raul for cheating and forgery among other crimes, reports said.

It is worth mentioning here that Sarathi Baba had established a sprawling ashram over 2.47 acres of land at Barimula village on the outskirts of Kendrapara town. Hundreds of followers of the self-styled godman used to visit the ashram and participate in various ceremonies prior to his arrest.