Balkrishna appears before CBI for second time

Dehra Dun, Aug 5: Yoga Guru Ramdev's close aid Balkrishna, accused of using fake educational degrees for procuring a passport, today appeared before the CBI here for interrogation for the second time.

Balkrishna reported to the CBI office around 1115 hours along with Patanjali yogpeeth officials and his lawyers, police said.

On August 3, Balkrishna was grilled by CBI for more than seven hours in connection with the case. As the questioning remained uncompleted, he was asked by the probe agency to turn up again on Thursday.

But he did not turn up and sent a fax to the agency officials stating that he has to travel to Nainital to deposit his travel document with the office of registrar general on August 5 in compliance with a Uttarakhand High Court order and was busy trying to collect it.

He, however, later participated in several functions organised on the occasion of his 40th birthday at Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar, 29 km from here.

While staying the arrest of Balkrishna, the High Court on July 29 had asked him to cooperate with the CBI in the probe.

The next date of hearing has been fixed on August 29. Balkrishna was earlier summoned by the CBI for questioning on July 28 but he had sent a fax to the sleuths seeking 20 days time to appear stating that his passport is with the British High Commission.

But the agency turned down his plea and asked him to appear without passport on July 29. Balkrishna had requested the CBI to give him 10 days' time.

Balkrishna had gone "missing" from his Divya Yoga Mandir Trust residence in Haridwar on July 25, a day after CBI filed a case against him for cheating and criminal conspiracy for procuring fake degree certificates to get a passport.

He resurfaced in Patanjali yogpeeth at Haridwar only after the High Court put a stay on his arrest.

PTI