Former Union minister Chinmayanand, accused of rape, arrested

Agencies

September 20, 2019

Sept 20: Former Union minister Swami Chinmayanand, accused of rape by a law student, was arrested on Friday, his counsel said.

The BJP leader was arrested by the special investigation team (SIT) of Uttar Pradesh police from his residence 'Divya Dham' here amid heavy security deployment, his lawyer Pooja Singh told PTI.

He was taken for medical examination to a government hospital. He was then taken to the the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate where he will be presented.

Singh said the SIT took signatures of Chinmayanand's relatives on the arrest memo but no arrest-related documents were given to them.

As Chinmayanand was taken for a medical check-up, patients at the government hospital had to face a tough time as they were not allowed to enter the premises.

Teams led by senior police officials have been deployed at the court premises and the hospital. A team of police officials is also patrolling the area to ensure there is no disturbance, a senior official said.

The rape survivor, who is a postgraduate student at one of the colleges run by Chinmayanand's organisation, has alleged that she was raped and "physically exploited" for a year by the former Union minister.

The case is being investigated by the SIT set up by Uttar Pradesh police on the directions of the Supreme Court.

Chinmayanand, who was admitted to the medical college here on Wednesday, was referred to King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow.

But he chose to return to his residence on Thursday and get ayurvedic treatment there, according to his counsel Om Singh.

He underwent several tests at the Shahjahanpur hospital where a team of four doctors monitored his condition, a spokesperson told news agency.

The student had earlier threatened self-immolation if the police do not arrest him.

Inspector General Naveen Arora, who heads the SIT, said a mobile phone and a pen drive given by the student have been sent for forensic examination.

The pen drive contains 43 video clips which the student says support her allegations.

Police has registered a case of criminal intimidation and abduction against Chinmayanand on a complaint lodged by the woman's father. Later, the student also accused him of rape and "physical exploitation".

The SIT has also examined the principals of the two colleges where the studied in recent years.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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