Hundreds of devotees of arrested self-styled godman Sarathi Baba alias Santosh Raul turned up at the court premises here on Monday to have a glimpse of him as he was produced in person before the SDJM Court after a gap of over three months.
Police faced difficulties to keep the devotees, mostly women, away from Sarathi Baba.
Chanting Hari Bol along with Hulahuli (ululation), the women devotees threw flower petals on him. But as they tried to come close to offer him garlands, they were prevented by the police.
Raul had earlier been produced before the court through videoconferencing. But he was produced in person at the court for the first time on the day after chargesheets against him were filed last month. He was booked in two cases, including the one filed by a woman devotee bringing kidnap allegations against him.
“Since Raul is also facing charges under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the SDJM Court would commit the case to session’s court. The commitment could not happen on the day as other persons issued summons in the case could not reach the court,” said his lawyer Manas Chand, adding that Raul would appear again before the lower court on January 21.