Balkrishna cleared of fake passport charge

NEW DELHI, June 10: Acharya Balkrishna, a close aide of guru Ramdev, has been cleared of the charge of holding fake Indian passport, Indian news media reported Thursday. The allegation was levelled against him by the ruling Congress party in India since the government crackdown on Ramlila Maidan on June 4.



The clearance was given on Thursday by the Bareli (Uttar Pradesh) authorities who were scanning his documents for past few days after Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said that Acharya was a criminal who had escaped from Nepal and had acquired a fake Indian passport.[break]



Balkrishna, who was thought to have disappeared after the incident, had appeared in Haridwar on June 7 and said that he was an Indian as he was born in Haridwar but his family roots are in Nepal. Holding a press meet he had dismissed all government allegations against him and clarified that although his parents and siblings live in Nepal, he is an Indian by birth. Ramdev´s right-hand man, Balkrishna, is also under scrutiny for holding weapons on wrong address.



As per reports, Uttarakhand Intelligence Bureau has confirmed that Balkrishna may have violated the Arms Act. The Prime Minister´s office has ordered a probe in the case. Ramdev had earlier defended Balkrishna stating that he is not holding any weapons illegally.



Meanwhile, the Indian government is looking to probe Ramdev´s assets. Ramdev declared Patanjali Yog Peeth´s assets worth several hundred crores, at a press meet in Haridwar on Thursday and promised maximum transparency of holdings in future as well. Baba declared assets at a press conference and said the total capital of the four trusts is IRs 426 cr. While the total income of last 17 years is said to be IRs 1177 cr, the annual expenditure said to be IRs 751 cr.



It is said that there are a maze of companies that are run and maintained by Ramdev´s key men. Over 200 businesses from broadcasting companies including Aastha TV to food parks are run by his trusted lieutenants Acharya Balkrishna and Mukta Anand. Baba is also facing charges of land grab as it was reported that Ramdev´s Patanjali Yog Peeth had grabbed government land.



Ramdev has declared that his fast will not end - now in its sixth day. Although doctors have advised him to end his fast in view of his deteriorating health condition, the guru is adamant on continuing the fast till the government agrees to his demand to take steps to bring back black money and to formulate tough anti-graft laws.



Ramdev is also facing strong criticism for his declaration of forming an ´army´ of 11,000 young men and women.

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