Bhubaneswar: A designated court in Cuttack has formally framed charges against self-styled godman Sarathi Baba, alias Santosh Roul, in connection with a case registered by the Crime Branch nearly a decade ago.

The Special Court established under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (ADJ-3) took the step after reviewing evidence linked to Roul’s alleged involvement in criminal misconduct. Raul was arrested in August 2015 from his ashram in Kendrapara district following widespread allegations of cheating and exploiting people under the guise of religious and spiritual practices.

According to investigators, the Crime Branch had charged Roul with offences under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act, 1959, and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atro

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