Court remands Godman to jail till April 30 in sex racket case

A Delhi court today extended by 14 days the judicial custody of self-styled Godman Shiv Murat Dwivedi who is accused of running a flesh trade racket in New Delhi.

A Delhi court today extended by 14 days the judicial custody of self-styled Godman Shiv Murat Dwivedi who is accused of running a flesh trade racket in New Delhi.

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"The accused Dwivedi and Praveen Kumar are remanded to jail till April 30," Additional Sessions Judge S K Sarvaria said.

Dwivedi alias Ichchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakootwale, who was initially booked under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) (ITP) Act, was later charged under harsher provisions of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) for running the sex racket in and around the national capital.

Earlier, the accused had filed an application alleging that he was forced to sign on blank papers to cook up his confessional statement recorded under MCOCA. Police, however, denied the allegations.

Dwivedi, allegedly involved in four cases under ITP Act and one case of robbery, was arrested on March 9 under MCOCA.

The godman was alleged to have earned crores of rupees through the sex racket and has properties worth Rs one crore at various places. He is also accused of running a website for flesh trade.