A 23 year old law student from Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on the 9th of September, alleged Swami Chinmayanand, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP,) of rape and sexual assault.
The girl was recently in the limelight after she posted a video against Chinmayanand, alleging him of sexually assaulting several girls in the past. She said Chinmayanand raped her for over a year. She further added the Uttar Pradesh Police refused to register a case against him.
The girl is a law student of Swami Shukdevanand Post Graduate College, Uttar Pradesh. The girl was allegedly kidnapped hours after she posted the video on her Facebook account, alleging Chinmayanand of destroying the lives of many girls for several years.
On the 24th of August, in her video, she said, “A big leader of the Sant Samaj who has destroyed the lives of many other girls and also has threatened to kill me… I want to request Yogi ji and Modi ji to help me. He has threatened to kill my family. Only I know how I am living now…. Please help me. The Sanyasi, he keeps the police and the DM (District Magistrate) in his pockets. That’s what he keeps saying. But I have all the evidence against him (sic.)”
On the 25th of August, the girl went missing, following which, her father filed a complaint and alleged Swami Chinmayanand of kidnapping his daughter. However, on the 29th of August, the Uttar Pradesh Police found the girl in Rajasthan and presented her in the Supreme Court.
The SC ordered the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the case.
The girl, who was interrogated on the 8th of September, addressed the media and said, “On Sunday (the 8th of September,) the SIT quizzed me for about 11 hours. I have told them about the rape. Even after telling them everything, they have not arrested Chinmayanand yet.”
She further said, “I have all the proofs. The hostel where I lived has been sealed. It should be opened in front of the media.”
Justifying why she absconded, she said she was frightened of Chinmayanand and his people. She said when she approached the Shahjahanpur Police, they refused to register a case, due to which, she was scared for her life and ran away. She further said the district magistrate asked her to think about the consequences and withdraw the complaint.
However, the concerned officer, Indra Vikram Singh, did not comment about the matter.
Chinmayanand denied the allegations and said it is nothing but a way to tarnish his image.
This is not the first time Chinmayanand was alleged of rape and abduction. In 2011, a woman filed a rape case against Chinmayanand. The girl, who spent several years at his ashram, said Swami Chinmayanand kept her confined in his ashram and raped her repeatedly for years. The Police filed a charge sheet in 2012, but never arrested Swami Chinmayanand. In 2018, the Yogi Adityanath led UP Government tried to withdraw the rape case, but the petition was rejected by the Shahjahanpur Court.
The SIT is investigating the case filed by the law student against Swami Chinmayanand.
Stay tuned for further updates.
