‘Yoga guru' who returned from Goa to set up ashram in Chhattisgarh arrested, police say 2 kg weed found
A 45-year-old self-proclaimed yoga guru, who recently returned from Goa and set up an ashram in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district, has been arrested for allegedly possessing nearly 2 kilograms of cannabis after allegations emerged that drugs were being peddled on the premises. The accused had returned after spending a decade in Goa, where he ran 'The Krantis', teaching what he called Kranti Yoga to many, including foreigners.
The accused, Tarun Kranti Agrawal alias Sonu, recently purchased a property spanning 5 acres of land near the Pragya Giri hills, located barely two kilometres from the Dongargarh temple, also a popular tourist destination.
A few months later, Kanti began construction work to set up an ashram on the premises. However, earlier this month, the local Dongargarh police started receiving complaints about drugs allegedly being served on the premises to minors and tourists. According to the police, it was also alleged that some youngsters at the place were carrying knives.
'We received information about unlawful activities taking place on the premises, after which we raided the place on June 25. We found 1.993 kg of cannabis in his possession. He was arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and remanded to judicial custody. We suspect he was selling drugs on the premises,' said the Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police, Mohit Garg.
Agrawal's parents are businessmen, and he is a native of Dongargarh. He left his home two decades ago, police said.
'Agrawal claimed before us (the police) that he has visited many countries and runs 10 NGOs. We will be seizing his passport, and we have received information about a few NGOS that he is referring to. We will check the activities of these organisations,' said an official.
Agrawal has been booked under section 20 B (produces, manufactures, possesses, sells, purchases, transports, imports inter-State, exports inter-State or uses cannabis) of the NDPS Act.
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