Kerala HC rejects Amritachaitanya's anticipatory bail plea

Kochi, May 13 (UNI) The Kerala High Court today rejected the anticipatory bail application filed by controversial Swami Amritachaitanya alias Santosh Madhavan against whom an Interpol lookout notice had been issued in a cheating case in the UAE.

Dismissing the bail plea, which was filed yesterday, Mr Justice V K Mohanan noted the Kerala Police had arrested the self-styled godman this morning, making his petition infructuous.

Noting the police had undertaken to produce the swami before the magistrate concerned, the High Court directed the magistrate to consider and dispose off any bail petition filed by the accused on the same day.

Kerala Police said it had registered a fresh case of rape of a minor girl against the swami besides the earlier complaint of cheating a Dubai-based Kerala woman, Serafin Edwin, of Rs 40 lakh.

A look-out notice had been issued by the 'International Criminal Police Organisation' (Interpol) against the swami in the cheating case.

In a raid on the swami's flat at Kadvanthara here on Saturday night, police had seized a tiger skin valued at Rs 1.50 lakh, pornograhic CDs and magazines, a police uniform, a liqour bottle and some documents relating to land deals.

UNI XR ARC GM JT KN2027