Lucknow : Former Union Minister Swami Chinmayanand was on Friday arrested by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing charges of rape and sexual exploitation levelled against him by a law student. He was produced in a court and sent to 14 days judicial remand.

The student studies in a college run by the former BJP MP in Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh.

He was picked up from his ashram by the SIT at 8.50 a.m, his counsel Puja Singh said.
While the police have not revealed on what charges they have booked Mr. Chinmayanand, his lawyer hinted that it could be under Section 376 C of the Indian Penal Code. The section pertains to sexual intercourse by a person in authority.

The student, however, has in her interactions with media, accused the former MP of raping and physically exploiting her for a year. Last week, she recorded her statement before a local court.

Ms. Singh said, “the Section invoked so far, as far as I know…is 376 C.”

Th police did not issue a proper notice or follow the course of law before booking Mr. Chinmayanand under Section 376 C and arresting him, she alleged.

Ms. Singh said she was not being allowed to meet her client who, she said, was in a “critical” condition after days of illness. “He was under the observation of doctors even at home,” she added.

The SIT took Mr. Chinmayanand to the district hospital for a medical check-up.

DGP O.P. Singh said that along with Mr. Chinmayanand three other persons, who are accused of sending extortion messages to the BJP leader, have been arrested.

The arrests have been made after the forensic analysis of the videos submitted by the law student and also the evidence submitted by Mr. Chinmayanand in the extortion case, said the DGP explaining the delay in the action.