Odisha Crime Branch begins grilling Sarathi Baba

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Aug 9:

The interrogation of controversial godman Santosh Raula alias Sarathi Baba, who was sent on a three-day police remand by the sub divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM) court here yesterday, began at the headquarters of the Odisha Crime Branch here this afternoon.

The self-styled godman is being questioned by a team of Crime Branch sleuths in the presence of his chartered accountant Gitiranjan Mekap, who was brought from Kendrapra after a raid at his premises late last night, sources in the agency said.

A laptop, a computer hard disk and several documents, believed to contain crucial information about the financial transactions of the Baba and his ashram, were seized during the raid.

The Crime Branch team was verifying files and documents stored in the seized laptop of the Chartered Accountant.

Sources in the Crime Branch said the interrogation of the Baba would centre around his allegedly fraudulent possession of land, money collected in the name of Satyam Charitable Trust, his visit to Hyderabad, Jeypore and Kolkata and his involvement in criminal activities.

According to reports, a special team of Crime Branch police brought Sarathi Baba from the Choudwar Circle Jail amid tight security at about noon.

Before being broughtto the Crime Branch headquarters here, th Baba was taken to the SCB Medical College and Hospital here for the mandatory medical check-up, sources said.