Court allows separate cell for self-styled godman
By IANSThursday, March 25, 2010
NEW DELHI - A city court Thursday accepted a plea to provide a separate cell and car for self-styled godman Shiv Murat Dwivedi who was arrested for running a multi-crore rupee sex racket, involving former air hostesses, in Delhi.
The application was filed through Dwivedi’s counsel M.S Khan who claimed that the godman and his co-accused Praveen were assaulted in a van by other undertrials while going to the court Tuesday. Dwivedi also submitted a copy of his medical report to the court.
Metropolitan magistrate Ravinder Singh said: “They will be provided a separate cell and will come in a separate car to the court for their hearings.”
The accused are lodged in Tihar Jail.
Dwivedi, who belongs to Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh, came to Delhi in 1988 and initially worked as a security guard. He was arrested on charges of running a prostitution racket in 1997 and 1998.
Later, he changed his appearance and started calling himself Ichchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakoot Wale. Under the cloak of spirituality, he started a flesh trade racket again, police said.
The accused were arrested Feb 26 and booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), according to which an accused cannot apply for bail for six months from the day of his arrest.
The next date of hearing is April 3.
