Baba Ramdev aide Balkrishna's bail plea rejected

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A CBI court on Saturday rejected the bail application of yoga guru Ramdev's close aide Balkrishna and remanded him in nine-day judicial custody in a fake document case.

Hearing the application of Balkrishna, who was arrested by a CBI team on Friday from Haridwar, special CBI judge Yogendra Sagar rejected his plea and sent him in judicial remand.

The next date of hearing in the case has been fixed on Jul 30. Balkrishna was later sent to Suddhowala Jail here amid protests by his supporters outside the court premises.

"I am being framed in the case," said Balkrishna as he was escorted to the jail. Earlier, Balkrishna was taken to the court in tight security even as Ramdev staged a dharna in front of the CBI office here to protest against the arrest of his aide.

Ramdev, who came in a cavalcade from Haridwar, was stopped at Lachhiwala area from where he marched for a while and later took another vehicle to reach the CBI office.

Balkrishna was arrested yesterday after the court issued Non Bailable warrants against him after he failed to appear before it.

The CBI had on July 10 filed a charge sheet in a special court here against Balkrishna in the case. In its charge sheet, the CBI has also accused the then Principal of Sanskrit Mahavidayala, Khurja in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly helping Balkrishna obtain fake educational certificates.

The agency has booked the duo under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery, and imposed additional charge for the alleged violation of the Passport Act against Balkrishna.

The CBI had registered a case of cheating and criminal conspiracy against Balkrishna on July 23 last year for allegedly procuring fake degree and violating Section 12 of Indian Passport Act by furnishing fake documents to get a passport.

The agency said its investigation had established that the accused, in connivance with a co-accused, had furnished false information and submitted fake and forged High School and graduation certificates to the passport authorities for obtaining the document.