NEW DELHI: Controversial “god man” Nemi Chand Jain, alias Chandraswami, who was grilled by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the wake of public pressure ‘generated due to fresh charges of Criminal conspiracy against him, cannot leave the country without the permission of the Delhi High Court. Thus, his passports stand virtually.
According to informed sources, ‘Chandraswami has to seek the permission of the High Court every time ‘he wants to leave the country because there are charges against him not only of harboring Babloo Srivastava, a contract Killer, but also of cheating a nonresident Indian.
It is revealed that Chandraswami faces charges of cheating, fraud and conspiracy at the instance of an NRI, Pathak. He had complained to the government that Chandraswami cheated him of $1,00,000 in a newsprint deal. The money was paid by Pathak to a Canadian citizen through Chandraswami by check which was encashed in Ollawa. Sources point out that the CBI was ‘on the trial of Chandraswami afler this case was registered and swung into action when another report about “gadman” cheating another NRI, Surichal Chawla of ‘Thailand. Chandraswami is reported to have cheated him of millions of US dollars ‘and Internal Security Minister Rajesh Pilot had ordered a probe against him.
‘The CBI sent a leer rotatory to ‘Oitawa in connection with the case of Pathak and said pending investigation Chandraswami could not leave the country without the prior permission of the Delhi High Court.
The “godman” wanted the CBI to tone down this case and remote restrictions on his movements, He brought in a lot of pressure but nothing worked and the Delhi High court stuck 10 its orders restraining him from moving out of the country without the prior permission.
The problem of the CBI is that in the Pathak case, the Canadian Government is taking a lot of time in handing over bank documents and about the person in whose name the check was encashed.
In the wake of the Babloo Srivastava controversy Chandraswami is in troubled waters because he himself had admitted to newspersons that he knew Babloo Srivastava, He also confirmed that he was at his ashram but denied other charges. But this alone Was sufficient to put him behind bar for interrogation as he was harboring with a criminal. Secondly, apart from the cases with the CBI, the police in UP, Bombay and Delhi also want Babloo in other cases and Chandraswami can be proved his accomplice in a Jhansi case, It is surprising that why the police in these states is not moving at a faster pace to investigate and book the “godman.” Narasimha Rao has not indicated to the CBI to arrest Chandraswami despite pressure from all over, the CBI sina dilemma whether to go beyond questioning him for a few hours.
Chandraswami’s arrest, ordered by Rajesh Pilot, was ruled out in the immediate future, highly placed sources said Sept 17.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 22, 1995
