After he was granted bail by the Orissa High Court on Monday, self-styled godman Sarathi Baba alias Santosh Roul was released from the Choudwar Circle Jail near here later in the evening. He was lodged in the jail after his arrest from his Kendrapada ashram in August 2015 by the Crime Branch police.
“After receiving his release order from the SDJM Court of Kendrapada, he was released at 7.20 pm,” said Jail Superintendent PK Behera.
Sarathi Baba was first arrested for his indulgence in criminal activities and cheating people by misusing religious and spiritual practices.
He was subsequently booked in a case of issuing threats to a woman medico, who was his follower. The Supreme Court had granted him bail in this case while the HC had granted him bail in the first case.
He was also booked in another case for cheating a woman and her mother of Barimula of Kendrapada, where he had set up his ashram.
The HC, however, granted him bail in the third case on Monday, thereby clearing all legal impediments for him to be released from jail.
Although the Crime Branch has submitted charge-sheets in all the three cases against Sarathi Baba, the trials in these cases have not yet started.