No respite for Nithyananda, court extends police custody
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MOHAN KUMAR BN
Doctor examines godman at CID headquarters
A doctor was called to the CID headquarters to examine Paramahamsa Nithyananda, after he complained of traces of blood in the stool on Wednesday morning.
"At first we thought that the accused swami was having some serious health problems. We thought that the presence of blood might be related to the chest pain he had complained about on Monday," a CID official said.
A doctor from the KC General Hospital examined the swami and the stool was sent for a laboratory test, which revealed initial stages of piles.
Nithyananda was taken to the Ramanagara court on Wednesday afternoon only after the CID received the test results.
Nithyananda's former disciple Chennai-based Lenin Karuppanan, who blew the lid off the alleged sex scandal, was summoned for questioning on April 25 and 26.
"We have seized some documents and a memory card from him, which need to analysed," the sources told agencies.
- MK MADHUSOODAN
Santosh Kumar RB. BANGALORE
Self-styled godman Paramahamsa Nithyananda's trademark smile was conspicuous by its absence on Wednesday, after the additional civil judge (senior division) at Ramanagara extended his police custody to two more days till April 30.
Earlier, the swami looked pleasant while he was taken into the court. Senior assistant public prosecutor NR Lokesh, appearing for the criminal investigation department (CID), submitted before the court that the investigators wanted the custody of Nithyananda for six more days. Lokesh also pointed out that the swami, caught in a sex scandal, had been admitted to hospital on complaints of chest pain.
After hearing the prosecution and HS Chandramouli, the swami's counsel, the judge extended the police remand.
Chandramouli prayed to the court to direct the CID to return a rudraksha rosary taken away from the swami. The prosecution countered the request saying the rosary was taken away to ensure the safety of the accused.
Justice Narayanaprasad refused to issue any order, but ruled that it was up to the investigators to decide whether to return the rosary or not.
Investigating officer
On condition of anonymity
"Actress Ranjitha has agreed to come to Bangalore. She said she had willingly offered herself in service of her guru. She also said that she will come with her advocate before the investigating officer."
The civil judge also extended the judicial remand of Nithyananda's disciple, Nithya Bhaktanda aka Gopal Seelan Reddy to 14 more days. Reddy and Nithyananda were arrested in a joint operation by the state CID and Himachal Pradesh police from Solan district in that state on April 21.
Meanwhile, Nithyananda moved the Madras high court seeking anticipatory bail in three cheating cases registered against him in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Authorities at the Ramanagara sub jail made elaborate arrangements, anticipating that the civil court might remand the swami in judicial custody.
"A separate cell was readied, so that he will be isolated from others," a jail official said.
Meanwhile, actress Ranjitha was understood to have sent a feeler to the CID, expressing her conditional willingness to appear before the investigating officer. It has been suspected that she was the woman found frolicking with the swami in a clipping telecast last month by television channels.
"She has agreed to come to Bangalore. She said she had willingly offered herself in service of her guru. She also said that she will come with her advocate before the investigating officer. She doesn't want the CID to question her," a CID officer said. [email protected]
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