Court reserves order on pre-arrest bail plea of self-styled godman in forgery case

New Delhi, Sep 26 (PTI) A Delhi court on Friday reserved order on the anticipatory bail plea of self-styled godman Chaitanyananda Saraswati in an alleged cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy case against him.

Additional sessions judge Hardeep Kaur would pronounce the order either this evening or on September 27.

The FIR was registered under charges of cheating by personation, cheating by dishonestly inducing a person to deliver property or consent to its retention, forgery, forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine, and criminal conspiracy.

The self-styled godman has also been booked for allegedly sexually harassing 17 female students of a private management institute here.

Delhi Police said their investigation revealed Saraswati allegedly tightened his control over the institute by sub-letting the properties of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamsthanam Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham, which runs it, to private companies for financial gains.

"He reportedly used the proceeds to purchase high-end luxury vehicles," an officer said.

So far, two cars have been traced to Saraswati -- a Volvo with a forged diplomatic number plate, '39 UN 1', and registered to a fake address, and a BMW he purchased in March, the police said. PTI MNR AMK AMK