Lucknow,March 02:SHIV Murat Dwivedi alias Ichchadhari Bhimanand Maharaj, the alleged “ pimp guru” who was arrested from his ashram in south Delhi, had close ties with at least two Samajwadi Party ( SP) parliamentarians and many of its leaders.
Samajwadi MPs from Mirzapur and Banda, Bal Kumar Patel and R. K. Singh Patel were allegedly in charge of a three- day religious function organised by Dwivedi during Diwali last year at his village Chamrauha in Chitrakoot district.
Former MLC Yuvaraj Singh was looking after the personal comfort and kitchen of the selfstyled guru. Veer Singh, the chairman of the district panchayat of Chitrakoot, was assigned the task of looking after the women who were Dwivedi’s “ special guests”. Daddu Prasad, rural development minister in the Mayawati government was invited as the chief guest. But he didn’t turn up even after invitation cards were printed bearing his name.
Chunnilal, a mason employed by Dwivedi to construct a temple in the village, said panchayat chief Veer Singh supervised the work. “ He told me to ensure the underground chambers had modern facilities like central air- conditioning and remote- operated doors and windows,” he said.
Incidentally, Bal Kumar Patel is the brother of Dadua, a dreaded dacoit who was killed by the Special Task Force of the UP Police in 2007. Veer Singh is Dadua’s son while R. K. Singh Patel and Yuvaraj Singh are said to be Dwivedi’s trusted disciples.Daddu Prasad denied any association with Dwivedi. He said, “ He had invited me to attend the function but I had refused.
However, I didn’t know at that time that he was a criminal.” But Bal Kumar admitted to a long- time association with the alleged flesh trader.“ We belong to the same area.Everyone knows each other and attend all functions. It doesn’t mean that we are their partners in crime,” he said.
Bachchalal Dwivedi, the father of Bhimanand, does not believe that his son runs flesh trade.“ He failed in Class XI and ran away from home 10 years ago.He was always inclined towards spiritualism.I believe his political disciples have a hand in it.I am told the girls were brought from elsewhere and shown as arrested from his ashram in New Delhi,” he alleged.
The exploits of Dwivedi, meanwhile, continue to shock the investigating officers of the Delhi Police.One of his diaries has revealed the names of several well- known television personalities, the police said.
“ The baba’s phone records are being scanned to verify the time and the number of calls between him/ his agents and the said personalities,” a senior Delhi Police officer said.
The police said the self- styled guru faces a five- year imprisonment for a previous crime and an appeal in the case is pending in the high court.Deputy commissioner of police ( south) HGS Dhaliwal said: “ We’ve found out about his fiveyear imprisonment.
We are are now scanning his half- a- dozen bank accounts for details of the money he made,” Dhaliwal said.A team of Delhi Police officers is scheduled to leave for Chitrakoot for further probe.
“ While there are names of some businessmen and leading politicians from Delhi and Chitrakoot, it can’t really be established if they are Dwivedi’s followers or clients,” a senior police officer said.