Chinmayanand, accused of rape by UP law student, arrested

SHAHJAHANPUR: BJP's Chinmayanand, accused of rape by a law student, has been arrested, five days after the woman narrated before the court what she meant by a year of sexual assault and blackmail.

Chinmayanand, 73, was hospitalised yesterday after he complained of "uneasiness and weakness". The powerful politician, who runs several ashrams and educational institutions, wasn't charged with rape though the woman had filed a police complaint a month ago.

The 23-year-old woman, a student at a law college that Chinmayanand runs, on Monday went to a court protected by over 50 police personnel and recorded her statement in the court of the chief judicial magistrate.

The woman has alleged that Chinmayanand sexually exploited her for a year after helping her to get admission in his college. He allegedly filmed her taking a bath and blackmailed her with the video and raped her. The woman says she was raped repeatedly by the politician. She was allegedly brought to his room at gunpoint and was even forced to give Chinmayanand massages.

The woman says she decided to gather evidence against him and filmed him with a camera in her spectacles. The case came to light when she went missing on August 24 after putting up a Facebook post without naming Chinmayanand.

When the UP police tracked her down after a week, the Supreme Court heard her allegations and ordered a Special Investigation Team to inquire into them. The team questioned the woman, visited her hostel room and later questioned Chinmayanand for seven hours last week.
However, the investigation team is yet to add rape charges against him. Currently, he only faces charges of kidnapping and intimidation.

By the way, Chinmayanand had filed an extortion case but against unknown people.