Chinmayanand

SHAHJAHANPUR: The 23-year-old student, who accused BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand of rape, was arrested on Wednesday on charges of extortion, police sources said. She was arrested from her house by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Uttar Pradesh Police around 9.15 am, the sources said. She was then taken for medical examination, they said.

The woman was allegedly dragged outside her room and wasn’t even allowed to go to the washroom, her younger brother alleged, adding the SIT tried everything possible to insult the family.

No notice under section 141 CrPC was served to her at the house, he said, adding she was made to sign the notice at Shahjahanpur Kotwali police station where she was brought immediately after arrest. She will undergo a medical examination at the district hospital and later produced before the CJM court.

The CJM court has sent her to 14-days of judicial custody.

SIT had attempted to detain the law student on Tuesday while she was approaching the court for her anticipatory bail. After a 10-minutes high voltage drama on the busy road, SIT dropped the idea of taking her along and allowed her to appear before the court for anticipatory bail. The court had fixed September 26 for further hearing on anticipatory bail and she was brought back home by SIT where she was questioned for several hours.

Additional SP (City) told TOI, "SIT asked for local force before taking their action. We are not authorized to provide any information about SIT’s action as it is out of our jurisdiction."

Chinmayanand was arrested on Friday in connection with charges levelled by the 23-year-old woman who studies at a college run by his ashram. The student has alleged she was raped and physically exploited for over a year.

The police had also arrested three other men for allegedly trying to extort money from the BJP leader -- and booked the student on the same charge.

On Monday, the Allahabad high court refused to grant interim bail to the student and directed her to file a fresh petition before an appropriate bench.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)

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In Video: Law student who alleged Swami Chinmayanand of rape arrested by SIT