Ramdev welcomes CBI probe into Swami's disappearance

New Delhi: Yoga guru Ramdev on Saturday welcomed the Uttarkhand government's decision to recommend a CBI investigation into the disappearance of Divya Yog Mandir Trust founder Swami Shankar Dev, saying he was ready to face any probe.

"I am ready for any probe. I am not afraid of any probe. Last year, I myself had submitted a memorandum to the President demanding a CBI probe or any probe under the supervision of a sitting Supreme Court judge," Ramdev told reporters here.

The Uttarakhand government had on Friday recommended a CBI probe into the disappearance of the Swami and a notification was issued after the investigation into the Swami's disappearance by the state police did not yield any clue.

The state police began investigating the case on the basis of an FIR lodged by Ramdev's close aide Acharya Balkrishna at Kankhal Police station, Haridwar, that the Swami had gone missing on July 14, 2007 after he went out for a morning walk.

Police had on April 10 filed a closure report after it was unable to make any headway despite all efforts.

Ramdev, who is already under the scanner for alleged regulatory violations in labelling of some of the products of the Divya Yog Mandir Trust, said the probe should not only confine to this issue but also cover all the allegations against him.

Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh had in September raised the issue, saying something was wrong in the matter. Ramdev rubbished the allegations that he had a fight with his guru and also that he had exerted any pressure to end the probe by the state police.

"The decision to end the probe was taken after Congress government under Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna came to power. The case was closed after six years of investigation, so it means I had influenced the Chief Minister, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi...," the yoga guru said.

Attacking Congress for holding him responsible in the disappearance of his guru, Ramdev said "instead of finding our Guru, they are putting CBI after me."

Ramdev said he would be starting his yatra in poll-bound Gujarat from October 30 and apprise people of the wrong doings of the Congress-led UPA government.