Cuttack/Bhubanesswar, Aug. 9: The crime branch today interrogated self-styled spiritual leader Santosh Raula alias Sarathi baba in the presence of his chartered accountant to ascertain his sources of income. The eight-hour long interrogation was videographed.
Sources said the crime branch, which has taken Raula on a three-day remand, tried to explore the monetary transactions of Sarathi and his Satyam Charitable Trust. The trust has come under scanner for various financial irregularities.
Sarathi was asked several questions including his source of income, donations received and investments made by him as well as the charitable trust.
Earlier in the day, the crime branch had raided Sarathi's chartered accountant Gitiranjan Mekap's house in Kendrapara and seized a laptop, hard disk and other documents. Efforts are being made to retrieve data from the laptop and other electronic gadgets, including Mekap's mobile phone.
Sarathi was grilled for over eight hours after he was brought to the crime branch headquarters from Choudwar circle jail amidst tight security arrangements this afternoon.
It has been alleged that Sarathi has amassed huge property. The crime branch suspects that he had also invested money in Odia movies.
Reliable sources said the department was trying to get the details of purchase of land and other property, apart from his investments.
In a related development, the BJP has stepped up pressure demanding action against former Kendrapara police superintendent Satish Gajbhiye, who was shifted in the wake of violence in the town over the Sarathi issue. The party will organise state-wide demonstrations demanding a CBI probe into the matter tomorrow.
The Congress will also stage a protest against police atrocities outside the Kendrapara collector's office tomorrow.
High court lawyers have decided to cease work tomorrow to protest against police excesses on an advocate at Kendrapada during the Friday bandh called in the coastal town to demand Sarathi's arrest.
Senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohaptra said: "The state government should immediately hand over the case to the CBI. We will demonstrate in front of all police stations across Odisha demanding a CBI inquiry into the case."
A post by Gajbhiye on social media has questioned the media's role in dealing with the Sarathi case.
"The demand for the arrest of Sarathi baba following media hype was not justified when there was no concrete complaint against him and when the crime branch was looking into it," he wrote.
