Self-proclaimed swami from Kerala gets bails in Rs 5.5 cr cheating case

Mumbai, Oct 10 (PTI) A court here on Friday granted bail to a self proclaimed swami from Kerala accused of cheating a city-based philanthropist of Rs 5.5 crore.

Additional Sessions Judge (Borivali Court) K R Deshpande, while allowing the plea of Sunildas Prabhakaran, said the chargesheet in the case had been filed and and that the investigation was over. Therefore, there is no point in keeping the accused behind the bars for an indefinite period, the court held.

Prabhakaran was arrested on June 6 this year in a case filed under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

As per the FIR, Prabhakaran, who claimed to be a Sai devotee and "swami with supernatural powers" met the complainant about 10 years ago.

While Prabhakaran is the founder of Muthalamada Sneham Charitable Trust in Palakkad in Kerala, the complainant (victim) too runs a charitable trust.

As per the prosecution, Prabhakaran, in September 2018, invited the complainant Kerala to receive an award and a cheque for 25 crore for his trust.

Days later, the complainant claimed Prabhakaran called him stating he had a loan-related "technical difficulty" that needed to be resolved before the Rs 25 crore cheque could be encashed.

Prabhakaran allegedly demanded 1.5 crores to clear the first loan, and then another Rs 4 crore.

The complainant transferred Rs 5.5 crore to Prabhakaran.

The Rs 25 crore cheque, however, bounced.

The accused, in his bail plea filed through advocate Sadanand Shetty, claimed the entire dispute is civil in nature, adding he was wrongly implicated.

The investigating officer opposed the application on the ground that there are four other offences registered against the applicant of the same nature in Kerala.

The IO also said the accused had not given the amount misappropriated in this case.

However, the court allowed his plea on a bail bond of Rs 100000. PTI AVI BNM