Self-styled yoga guru held after cannabis seized from under-construction ashram in Chhattisgarh

Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh) [India], June 26 (ANI): Police have arrested a self-styled yoga guru after recovering cannabis and other objectionable materials from his under-construction ashram in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district, officials said on Thursday.
Acting on a tip-off about suspicious activities and the presence of anti-social elements at the ashram being built near Pragyagiri hill in Dongargarh, a police team conducted a raid and recovered around 2 kg of cannabis along with other objectionable materials, Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohit Garg said.
The accused, identified as Baba Kanti Agrawal, was arrested on Tuesday, June 24, the SP said.
SP Garg said that Agrawal had left Dongargarh nearly 20 years ago and has been running a yoga ashram in Goa for the past decade. Preliminary investigation suggests that he holds directorial positions in several companies and NGOs. The police are gathering information about the funding sources and activities of these entities.
The SP added that details of Agrawal's properties -- excluding the ashram -- are also being verified. If any criminal links are established, steps will be taken to attach the properties.
During interogation, the accused claimed to have visited more than 100 countries and taught yoga to to foreigners in Goa. The police are now probing his NGOs and foreign trips.
An offence in this connection was registered with Dongargarh police under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Dongargarh police station. (ANI)