HC grants conditional bail to Sarathi

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court here on Friday granted conditional bail to self-styled godman Sarathi aka Santosh Raul in the alleged misuse and cheating in the name of religious institution case filed against him by the state Crime Branch.
Sarathi cannot visit Barimula ashram or Kendrapada and has to inform the investigation officer his whereabouts, as per the conditions put forth by the court. He is also not allowed to take out a procession after being released from the jail.
However, the self-styled godman can’t walk free anytime soon as one more case is still sub-judice.
On July 28, the Kendrapada Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) court denied him bail for the fifth consecutive time in connection with a harassment case. Mamata Swain and her mother had accused Sarathi of misbehaving with them after acquiring their assets during their stay at Barimula ashram following which the Crime Branch arrested him on August 8, 2015. He has been lodged in Choudwar Circle Jail since then.
In May, the Supreme Court had granted him bail in a molestation case involving a medical student.