Director General of Police (CID) D V Guruprasad is looking to Facebook for help in nailing Swami Nithyananda, kicking up a flurry of online activity i

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CID chief goes on Facebook and appeals to victims to come forward and depose against Swami Nithyananda. So far, no one has bothered to respond to his pokes

M K Ashoka
Posted On Saturday, June 19, 2010 at 08:01:50 AM

Director General of Police (CID) D V Guruprasad is looking to Facebook for help in nailing Swami Nithyananda, kicking up a flurry of online activity in the process

Swami Nithyananda
After Nithyananda’s release on bail, DGP posted the following on the social networking site: “Swami Nithyananda got bail. In his complaint Shri Lenin accused the swami of rape, unnatural sex, criminal intimidation and hurting religious sentiments.

Despite our best efforts, not a single ‘victim’ has come to us stating that the swamiji had unnatural sex with him/her or raped her. We got some emails from persons living abroad but they have not provided any evidence”.

He also wrote, “Why can’t you people motivate the ‘victims’ of swamiji to come out and give statements to us? So long as they keep quiet, what can the investigation do? The women in the tapes should depose that they were victimised. So far, this has not happened.” He also said that the probe into irregularities in funds was on.

The DGP’s rather innovative methods has had comments coming thick and fast on Facebook, some filled with contempt, some sympathetic.

Swami or minister?

Harsha Raju wrote that the Swami had gone on record to say that he was neither a man nor a swami. “The CID has no evidence against him, it seems. What is a video tape, then? If he was not guilty, why was he hiding then? I guess this is India. Same will be the case with Halappa (former BJP minister) — he will also come out on bail as no evidence will be found against him also. And people who call themseleves his devotees will be happy — wow! Time to become a swami or a minister...”

Paisa bolta hai

Vishal Diggewadi was contemptous about a corrupt system. “Paisa bolta hai India me, paisa feko tamasha dhekho, Everything happens for money. Pay millions in India and do anything, you will get bail. Or else have links with big ministers... hmmm... I agree ...India is great... someone said if you don’t belive in God, come to India... only God can run this country.”

However, the DGP’s post did find some sympathetic Facebookers. Radhe Shyam said the bail was not unexpected. “It was question of when rather than whether. No wonder, public opinion has softened its stand on the swamiji’s deeds. And if some sensational news surfaces, this swami will go free. Yes, the police are the victims of low conviction rates and all their efforts [will go in vain] with such judgments. But still, the police will have to work within the system.”

Writing in a similar vein, Anita Mendonca Mathias said, “Let us work towards forming a better and less corrupt system.”

The DGP also found a staunch supporter in Anoop S N who wrote, “This is happening because of us... not because of the money... not because of the police... not because of the system. We have developed this culture! We have no b***ls to fight for justice and we blame the system for everything. And so-called society, they will screw the lady who comes forward against the swami :( . And they might even worship the swami again.”

Anoop backs Guruprasad to the hilt, saying, “Don’t give up, sir... there is always hope... all this crap will go away when a generation awakes!” And then comes a word of advice for the top cop: “DGP CID, sir, pinpointing the issue will not work... you should try and restore faith in the police... only then will people desist from writing emails from a fake account. Facebook is a good step but caters to a small set of people. Only criminals should be scared of the police, not other people!”

And then, surprise, surprise, Shweta Srinivas rooted for the swami: “You can never believe in demigods... afterall they are also human... so no harm in them acting as one.”

Guruprasad, for his part, said he had created the Facebook account to be “people-friendly”.

“Whenever possible, I try to solve problems. The idea of this site is to make people aware of what we are doing at the CID and to take their help in solving the cases we are investigating”.