Delhi: Accused in โMass Molestation case Claims Life threat in Tihar Jail
New delhi – November 11, 2023 โฃ – Swami Chaitanyananda Saraswati, accused โin a mass molestation case at a Delhi institute, has alleged a threat to his life while in Tihar Jail. during a hearing โคbefore Judicial Magistrateโ Fristโ Class โAnimesh Tripathi,โค Saraswati also claimed he was being denied the right to wear a saffron robe andโ adhere to a restricted diet previously authorized by theโ court.
The court documented Saraswati’s submission, stating,โฃ “โฆaccused had submitted that there โwas a threat to his life in jail and he โhas not been allowed โฃsaffron despite the fact that he โhad filed three applications before the jail superintendent.”
The โฃcourt hasโ requested โa detailed status report from jail authorities,toโ be submitted by โtheโ next hearing on November 18.
Saraswati,โข 62, withdrew his bail plea last week โคbefore โขthe Patiala โขHouse Courts, opting to โขawaitโค the filing of a chargesheet by Delhi Police โคto review the allegations against him. โThe court had โฃpreviously indicated it was unlikelyโฃ to grant bail, citing the serious nature of the offenses and the large number of alleged victims, and expressing concern that Saraswati could โฃpotentiallyโ influence witnesses due to his position.
During his โjudicial custody, โคSaraswati had โsuccessfullyโข petitioned the court for permission to wear his saffron robes and consume a diet โexcluding onion – requests which were granted.โ
In โhis earlier bail plea, โSaraswati asserted that the complainants were “tutored” and falsely accused him due toโค hisโ enforcement of “strict discipline” at the institute. โHe maintainedโ his role wasโ limited toโฃ policy-making and overall guidance as chairman-cum-managing director,with no direct interaction with students.
Saraswati faces five โฃcriminal cases, including โtwo from 2009 and 2016, and three filed this year, alleging โขoffenses such as mass molestation, โคcheating, โand โฃthe use of โคforged diplomatic โฃnumber plates on luxury vehicles. he was arrestedโ onโ September 27 from a โhotel โin Agra after evading arrestโ since an FIR was lodged against him on august 5.