Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Oct 21: The state high court, on Monday October 20, issued interim stay on the medical tests proposed to be conducted on Sri Raghaveshwara Swamiji on Tuesday October 21. A single judge bench of the high court, which considered a petition filed by the Swamiji against subjecting him to medical tests, duly questioning the notice served by CID police on him to be present at Victoria Hospital for the test on Tuesday, issued this order.

Placing arguments before the bench, advocate for the Swamiji argued that conducting medical tests immediately after charges of rape are filed can alone be considered as meaningful exercise. He pointed out that in this case, complaint was filed with much delay, and subjecting people to medical tests without backed by strong evidence violates fundamental rights of the concerned and right to privacy. He also averred that the policemen are not right in conducting medical tests of people accused in every case.

On Monday October 20, both Sri Raghaveshwara Bharati Swamiji of Ramachandrapur Math, who has been charged with rape by Premalata Shastri, and Premalata, against whom the Swamiji has filed blackmail and character assassination complaint, were questioned by the officials of criminal investigation department (CID). The police recorded statements of both the persons.

Premalata Shastri, who arrived a the CID office on Monday morning, was subjected to about 150 minutes of questioning. It is gathered the policemen posed questions relating to threat and blackmail allegation on Rama Katha singers, as well as rape complaint made by Premalata against the Swamiji. It is gathered that Premalata, who was told before she left the CID office that she would be summoned again if the need is felt, properly answered the questions put to her.

As soon as Premalata left, Sri Raghaveshwara Swamiji, accompanied by his advocate, reached CID office at around 12 pm. He was retained in the office for questioning till 5 pm. Most of the questions posed to him by a team led by CID superintendent of police, Siri Gowri, related to rape case filed by Premalata and suicide by Shyamprasad Shastri, it ls said.

The Swamiji was also orally told by the policemen that he will have to be present if summoned henceforth for questioning.

The cases filed against and by the Swamiji are becoming complicated with each passing week, as the Swamiji has so far succeeded in getting his requests for injunctions against issuing statements to media by Premalata Shastri and others against him, anticipatory bail, order not to arrest him, etc, granted by the courts.

In a related development, Rama Katha artistes, Vasudha Sharma and K Rohini Kanchana, who held a press conference in the city in the presence of artist, B K S Varma and others, accused Premalata Shastri of filing fake complaint against the Swamiji, as a result of which artistes are put to shame. They said they had stayed together at Gokarna with Premalata, and that they are consternated at the false complaint made by Premalata, as a result of which women are dithering from taking active role in Rama Katha programmes.