Ramdev aide skips CBI questioning

Yoga Guru Ramdev's aide Balkrishna did not turn up before the Central Bureau of Investigation for questioning on Thursday, saying he had to collect his passport and submit it to the Uttarakhand High Court.

Balkrishna, who appeared before the CBI in Dehra Dun on Wednesday, sent a fax to officials here saying he has to be deposit his travel document tomorrow as per the High Court's order and he is busy trying to collect it.

However, he did not specify as to from where he was trying to get his passport. Balkrishna had earlier claimed he had deposited his passport in the British High Commission to get a visa.

Balkrishna had yesterday skirted key queries posed by the CBI in connection with a case of allegedly using fake educational degrees for procuring the passport. CBI sources claimed that Balkrishna was evasive on vital questions relating to the case, prompting the agency to summon him again on Thursday.

He was also asked to bring details of his antecedents along with original documents.

Balkrishna appeared before the CBI in compliance with an order of the Uttarakhand High Court order which had stayed his arrest till August 29 but directed him to appear before the CBI.

While staying the arrest of Balkrishna, the state high court had on July 29 asked him to co-operate with the CBI in the investigations.

Balkrishna has also been asked to submit proof about his Indian citizenship, including papers related to his parentage, the sources said. He was earlier summoned by the CBI to appear in its office here for interrogation on July 28.

However, instead of appearing before the agency, he had sent a fax to the agency seeking 20-days' time to appear stating that his passport was with the British High Commission.

But the agency turned down his plea and asked him to appear without passport on July 29. Balkrishna had again requested the CBI to give him 10 days' time. Balkrishna had gone "missing" from his Divya Yoga Mandir Trust residence in Haridwar on July 25, a day after CBI filed a case against him on charges of cheating and criminal conspiracy in procuring a fake degree and violation of section 12 of Indian Passport Act.