Swami faces heat over extra dollars
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CID sleuths plan to book him for forex violations with help from Enforcement Directorate
DEBI PRASAD SARANGI
Nithyananda Swami, who is cooling his heels in the CID lock-up in Bangalore, could be booked for foreign exchange violations under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) when receiving donations from abroad.
When the swami was arrested from a summer house in Himachal Pradesh, the CID sleuths recovered 8,000 from him. "The possession of this kind of foreign currency is a violation (a person can keep a maximum of2,000)," said the CID sources.
The swamiji has received donations from abroad and built ashrams in several countries without permission from the appropriate authorities, sources said.
SEEKING ED HELP During a review of the swami's case after his arrest, a senior officer from CID suggested to the investigating officer to consider booking him under FEMA with help from Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths.
The information on the swami's laptop and the documents he was carrying showed he owned several properties abroad. They have received donations from abroad without following rules prescribed by the Union home ministry and RBI, said the CID sleuths. "It looks like ED sleuths can book a case under the Money Laundering Act," they said.
"On learning about these things, our seniors asked us to inform ED sleuths and get a case booked under FEMA; we are in touch with legal experts," said an investigating officer.
TWO FIRS At present, two FIRs have been filed against him, one by his former driver, Lenin Karuppan, who has accused Nithyananda of forcing him 'to indulge in unnatural sex and rape'. The second one is filed by Vidya Vishwanathan of Coimbatore, who has accused him of 'cheating and outraging religious sentiments'.
The CID officers reviewed both FIRs after his arrest. "There is too much smoke and hardly any fire in both cases. We are not confident of nailing the swami in these cases," said a police officer.
"We have to invoke FEMA; he cannot escape as there is sufficient evidence against him," he added.
CONSENSUAL ACT Commenting on the CD and the TV clippings showing the swami in an intimate act, the CID sleuths said, "It seems like a consensual act. People are claiming the swami has outraged religious sentiments through his sexual acts. But no law prevents a swami from indulging in a sexual act."
The sleuths questioned the swami for a few hours on Saturday to find out his sources of funding, both inside and outside the country.
D V Guruprasad, Director General of Police, CID, interrogated the swami who remained busy counting the rudrakshis on his mala while answering the questions. He repeated the same things he had told investigators on Friday.
The CID sleuths are also contemplating asking the state government to take over the swami's ashram near Bidadi on Mysore Road.
Deccan Herald, 25 April 2010: Debi Prasad Sarangi, DH reporter, reports on the illegal arrest with more lies and false allegations