The woman filed the complaint against the preacher, his three brothers and a woman at Fatehpur Beri police station. (Representational)
A plea was filed Monday in the Delhi High Court seeking transfer of probe into allegation of rape against self-styled godman Daati Maharaj from Delhi Police’s crime branch to the CBI. The petition, filed by NGO Delhi Citizen Forum for Civil Rights, alleged that the investigation carried out by crime branch was “biased and unfair” since no arrest has been made so far. It added that the delay could influence witnesses and lead to destruction of evidence.
The plea added that chances of the accused leaving the country cannot be ruled out. A complaint was lodged against Daati Madan Lal alias Daati Maharaj on June 7 and an FIR was registered on June 11. The police had questioned the accused, charged with raping a disciple in his ashrams in Delhi and Rajasthan, on June 22. However, Daati Maharaj has claimed that he is being framed.
The woman filed the complaint against the preacher, his three brothers and a woman at Fatehpur Beri police station. “A number of politicians and senior officers of the government (Centre and state) are regular visitors of Shani Dham (ashram). Hence, fair investigation by the Crime Branch cannot be assured,” the plea alleged.