The Pune police have registered two separate criminal cases over the high drama that prevailed at the Osho International Meditation Resort in Koregaon Park on Wednesday as a group of rebel Rajneesh followers stormed into the resort premises.

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Two offences were registered at Koregaon Park police station on Wednesday night. The First Information Report (FIR) in the first case was registered on behalf of the management by Dhaneshkumar Joshi alias Swami Dhyanesh Bharti. Based on his complaint, the police booked around 120 rebel followers, of whom seven were identified by name. The police also booked a man identified as a reporter and invoked charges under Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to unlawful assembly, rioting, voluntarily causing hurt, trespassing and intentional insult.

In the second offence, the police booked Varun Rawal, 27, a native of Bhilai, who entered the resort premises along with the rebel followers and created a ruckus as he went on a rampage and attacked police personnel. Police officials said that their probe suggests that the man does not belong to either faction of followers. Rawal has been booked under charges related to attacking a public servant and intentional insult.

The ruckus at the resort came a day after the resort management had allowed the rebel group which has been banned for years to enter the premises wearing mala or beaded rosary. On Tuesday, the management had clarified that the wearing of the mala was allowed only for a day because of the intervention of the Pune police.

While the resort management alleged trespassing and violence by the rebel group, the latter alleged use of excessive force and lathi-charge by the police at the behest of the management.

The police said that they resorted to use of force on Wednesday to control Rawal who, according to them, did not belong to either faction and created a ruckus, attacking police personnel before being overpowered and detained.

The Indian Express (P) Ltd

First published on: 23-03-2023 at 12:11 IST

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Osho ashram drama: 2 cases filed, over 120 people booked in Pune - The Indian Express