Chinmayanand to be excommunicated from saint community

Former union minister and senior BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand is likely to be stripped of the title of 'swami' and ''excommunicated'' from the saint community following his arrest on charges of ''sexually exploiting'' a law student in Shahajahanpur town in UP.

The All India Akhara Parishad (AIAP), an apex body of the saints in the country, hinted at stern action against Chinmayanand in the wake of the charges.

''A decision about excommunicating him (Chinmayanand) will be taken at the meeting of the AIAP in Hardwar in Uttarakhand next month,'' the Parishad president Mahant Narendra Giri said in Prayagraj on Saturday.

''Chinmayanand has admitted to the charges....his deeds can not be tolerated....he has embarrassed the entire saint community,'' the Mahant said.

Chinmayanand held the title of 'mahamandaleswhar' (a high position in the saint community) and was associated with Mahanirvani Akhara.

The saffron party leader, who had 'ashrams' and ran several educational institutions in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, had, according to the police, admitted to having had massages from the victim on several occasions.

The seer had also admitted to having indulged in ''obscene'' conversation with the victim, who was a student at a law college of which Chinmayanand was the president.