Indore: Spiritual leader Computer Baba acquitted in 2020 case as complainant turns hostile

Indore, May 23 (PTI) A court in Indore in Madhya Pradesh on Friday acquitted spiritual leader Namdev Das Tyagi, popularly known as Computer Baba, in a 2020 case related to assaulting a panchayat secretary and stopping government personnel from carrying out official duties.

Special Judge DP Mishra acquitted him under Indian Penal Code sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of official duties), section 353 (assault on public servants to prevent them from discharging their duty by intimidating them), section 323 (assault), section 294 (abuse) and section 506 (criminal intimidation) and provisions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The court observed that charges against Computer Baba were "completely unproven".

The case was registered against him in November 12, 2020 on the report of the secretary of a village panchayat under Gandhi Nagar police stations limits. .

As per the FIR, Computer Baba had misbehaved, assaulted and abused the complainant, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste category, using casteist words on November 8, 2020 when he had gone to remove an encroachment.

However, during his testimony in the Special Court for SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the complainant went back on his statement given to the police, after which he was declared hostile.

During the trial, Computer Baba had claimed he was innocent and that he had been implicated on political grounds.

Incidentally, previous BJP and Congress governments in MP had included him in different panels and even given him ministerial status.

On November 8, 2020, a team of police and civic administration razed Computer Baba's ashram built on government land in Jambudi Hapsi village adjoining Indore city, calling it illegal. He was also arrested at the time. On November 19, he was released on a High Court order. PTI HWP MAS BNM