The Hindu : Self-styled Swamiji ends up behind bars

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 19, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Self-styled Swamiji ends up behind bars

By Our Staff Reporter

VIJAYAWADA FEB. 18. In a dramatic development, the city police on Tuesday arrested Kanakachari, a self-styled swamiji, for allegedly cheating people claiming that he possessed mystic powers to cure their diseases.

The arrest was preceded by a three-hour drama at the Government general hospital in the morning, where the godman, attired in saffron robes, arrived after accepting a challenge by the NGO, Jana Vignana Vedika, to prove his claim in front of the media and the medical fraternity.

There was a comical interlude as one of the patients suffering from fever had his temperature rising further, after the swamiji tried to demonstrate his `powers' on the victim!

Kanakachari who claims to be an expert in Siddha and possessing mystical powers, said he could rid people of their ailments by merely looking into their eyes or by just talking to them over the phone. Several people were drawn by his claims even as a leading industrialist and a few influential people backed the godman.

Srinivas, a member of Vedika lodged a complaint with the Machavaram police accusing the swamiji of deceiving people. A number of doctors in the city including G. Samaram, and Gangadhar challenged him to prove his claims in public.

Accordingly on Tuesday around 9.30 a.m., Kanakachary along with his followers arrived at the hospital. But after coming over to the place, he insisted that while it would take a couple of days to cure chronic diseases, he could produce instant results on people those suffering from fever.

For nearly three hours, there were arguments and counter-arguments as Kanakachary insisted that he could prove his prowess only before a handful of people and not such a large gathering. He subsequently relented, when the media and the doctors refused to buy his argument and insisted on his proving his claim before all as per the original conditions.

A patient of the hospital, Venkateswara Rao from Nandigama, was brought in and his temperature was recorded at 103.5 degree Farenheit before the so-called treatment. The swamiji proceeded to look into the patient's eyes for the next 12 minutes as pin-drop silence dominated in accordance with the wishes of the swamiji. But after the exercise, when the doctors checked the patient's temperature, it had shot up to 104.7 degree F, sending the crowd into peals of laughter.

The hospital superintendent, Subba Rao, and Kanakachary's industrialist friend were also present during the high drama.

Immediately after the test failed, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Division II, Krishna Rao, along with a posse of policemen walked into the room and announced Kanakachary's arrest.

He will be produced before court on Wednesday after further interrogation. Mr. Krishna Rao said the arrest was being effected following Kanakachary's failure to prove the claim and a case had already been registered against him at the Machavaram police station. A case was registered against him under Section 420 IPC (cheating).

However, before being whisked away, Kanakachary told reporters that his "powers'' failed to work as he could not exercise them in the presence of so many people. "I can do it only when I am left alone with the patient,'' he remonstrated.

A former homeopath from Gudivada, Kanakachary clarified that he did not possess any divine powers, but he gained the technique of curing people through "energy transmission'' after undergoing training at Pune. He continued to insist that he could rid people of their ailments, if only he was given sufficient time and the necessary environment, even as he was whisked away by the cops.

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