Court grants Saraswati bail, cites 'shoddy' police investigation

Delhi's Patiala House court granted bail to Chaitanyanand Saraswati in a fake number plate case, heavily criticising the 'shoddy' police investigation. He remains in custody for a separate, ongoing molestation case involving 17 students.

Patiala House court has recently granted bail to Chaitanyanand Saraswati in the fake number plate case. The Delhi police have filed a charge sheet in this case. The court raised serious questions about the investigations in the cases. However, he will remain in custody in another case involving the alleged molestation of seventeen students. He is currently in judicial custody in the molestation case.

Court Slams 'Shoddy and Casual' Investigation

Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Animesh Kumar granted bail to Chaitanyanand Saraswati in the diplomatic fake number plate case. While granting bail to Saraswati, the court said that the investigation was conducted in a shoddy and casual manner.

"Perusal of the chargesheet would show that no incriminating material could be found against the applicant, which could even prima facie show that it was the applicant who had himself forged the number plates. The court criticised the investigating agency for conducting a shoddy investigation in the case, noting several lapses. "In fact, shoddy investigation has been conducted by the investigating agency on some important aspects like the driver of the applicant who used to put the fake number plates on the car in question was not implicated even as a suspect in the present case, no investigation was carried out to find out the source of forged number plates, no investigation was carried out to establish as to whether the applicant has actually used the said car," the court observed.

The court further stated that, even otherwise, custodial interrogation of the applicant is not required in this case. An investigation into the applicant has already been initiated, and a charge sheet has already been filed. The court observed that the offences involved in the present case are punishable for a maximum period of 7 years. "The applicant cannot be kept in jail indefinitely because of the fact that the investigating agency has not conducted proper investigation," the Court said.

Details of the Legal Cases

It is alleged that Saraswati was using a fake diplomatic number plate. A case was registered under sections relating to cheating, forgery, and other offences under the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).

On November 27, 2025, the court issued a production warrant to produce him in the cheating case. The Delhi Police had formally arrested him while he was in judicial custody.

Molestation Case

The court had also taken cognisance of another chargesheet filed against Chaitanyanand Saraswati and four other accused, including three women, in a molestation case. Saraswati was arrested earlier, on September 28, in Agra.

The Delhi Police had filed the chargesheet on November 26 under sections 75(2), 79, 232, 351(3), 238(b), and other relevant provisions of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)