Bhubaneswar: The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of self-styled godman Sarathi Baba in connection with a case pertaining to alleged sexual harassment of a woman and her daughter at Barimula ashram in Kendrapara district.
According to sources, Sarathi’s bail plea was rejected by a two-member division bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
On August 18, a woman and her daughter had lodged a police complaint, accusing Sarathi of sexually and physically exploiting them both and defrauded them of their gold ornaments and money worth Rs 1.15 lakh during their stay at Barimula ashram.
Sarathi was arrested from his Barimul ashram by the Crime Branch on August 8, 2015, on charges of sexually harassing women and cheating devotees.
The self-proclaimed godman is currently lodged at Choudwar Circle Jail in Cuttack district.
On July 28 last year, Kendrapada Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) court had also rejected the Sarathi’s bail plea in connection with the case.
His bail pleas had suffered a similar fate in the Orissa High Court several times in the past.
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