Bangalore:
Still struggling to make a case against Swami Nityananda, the CID has now moved the Supreme Court against the High Court's order to speed up investigations.
The CID had to complete the investigation within four weeks from July 17, on a High Court directed time frame.
"Setting a time frame amounts to intervention in the investigation and hence we have portioned with the Supreme Court. Our application is yet to be admitted," said MN Reddy, IG, CID.
KN Yogappanavar, chief investigating officer in the case, said, "The investigation is heading in the right direction."
Nityananda, now out on bail after serving a jail term as an undertrial, is booked under sections 376, 377, 506, and 295 (A) respectively, for rape, having unnatural sex, threatening to kill and hurting religious sentiments.
CID investigators have no solid evidence against him, except a police complaint filed by Lenin Kurpuppan, an estranged disciple.
Kuruppan had alleged, in his complaint, that Nityananda had sex with Nitya Nirmalananda a male disciple, who is now in the US. But the investigators have not been able to record his statement yet.
They told the court that they were in touch with Nirmalananda, and had applied for a visa to meet him in the US.
A miffed justice Arali Nagaraj, who was heading the bench, fixed the date for filing affidavit on September 21, while the Swami's counsels have pleaded the court for quashing the charges.
The investigators want to establish that the Swami had raped Ranjitha, but the actress has categorically stated that it was not true, and had said that her relationship with Nityananada was spiritual.
She had written to CID that she would make an official statement.
While the main charges don't hold water, allegation under 295A seems to be weak and the CID is in a tight spot.
"We are in trouble," confided a senior CID officer. "If the SC fails to come to our help, we are going to be embarrassed."
The Swami's spokesperson declined to comment, saying that the matter was subjudice.