Balkrishna appears before CBI for second time

Dehra Dun, Aug 5 (PTI) Yoga Guru Ramdev's close aid
Balkrishna, accused of using fake educational degrees for
procuring a passport, on Friday appeared before the Indian
investigation agency CBI here for interrogation for the second
time.
Balkrishna reported to the CBI office around 1115 hours
(local time) along with Patanjali yogpeeth officials and his
lawyers, police said.
On August 3, Balkrishna was grilled by CBI for more than
seven hours in connection with the case. As the questioning
remained uncompleted, he was asked by the probe agency to turn
up again on Thursday.
But he did not turn up and sent a fax to the agency
officials stating that he has to travel to north Indian city
of Nainital to deposit his travel document with the office of
registrar general on August 5 in compliance with a Uttarakhand
High Court order and was busy trying to collect it.
He, however, later participated in several functions
organised on the occasion of his 40th birthday at Patanjali
Yogpeeth in Haridwar, 29 km from here.
While staying the arrest of Balkrishna, the High Court
on July 29 had asked him to cooperate with the CBI in the
probe.
The next date of hearing has been fixed on August 29.
Balkrishna was earlier summoned by the CBI for
questioning on July 28 but he had sent a fax to the sleuths
seeking 20 days time to appear stating that his passport is
with the British High Commission.
But the agency turned down his plea and asked him to
appear without passport on July 29. Balkrishna had 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 for cheating and criminal conspiracy for
procuring fake degree certificates to get a passport.
He resurfaced in Patanjali yogpeeth at Haridwar only
after the High Court put a stay on his arrest.