By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 8, 2015 : The Crime Branch of Odisha Police on Saturday took controversial Sarathi Baba and one of his aides into its custody in the early hours.

The CB questioned self-styled ‘Godman’ Sarathi Baba for 14 hours at his Barimula ashram in Kendrapara, before being whisked away to the Crime Branch’s headquarters in Cuttack at 4 am.

Though the CB IG Arun Bothra maintained that Sarathi has not been arrested, sources pointed out that he would be further questioned before being officially arrested. .

Further, Bothra said the Rs 2 lakh cash, some land related documents, huge amount of gold and silver jewellery were seized from Sarathi Baba’s Ashram.

CB also has received several allegations against Sarathi baba’s family members, Bothra added.

The police also ceased three bank accounts of the Ashram.

The state government on Friday transferred Kendrapara superintendent of police Satish Kumar Gajbhiye with immediate following police brutality on people as he failed to rein in his men who attacked protestors and no-protestors at Sarathis’s Ashram.

Earlier on Friday, police cracked down on protestors demanding immediate arrest of Sarathi. Police lathi-charged protestors for blocking the road.

Meawnhile, the Odisha High court Bar Association on Friday decided to observe a “symbolic” protest on Monday demanding a judicial probe into the police brutality. Condemning the use of brute police force on general public and particularly on a lawyer in Kendrapada, the Association secretary, Bijay Kuamr Ragad said the government should immediately put Gajbhiye under suspension.