Thursday, March 17 2005 19:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: A city court today (March 17, 2005) directed the police to arrest former president of ISKCON's Kolkata unit Adridharan Das for alleged misappropriation of funds and cheating.

The Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM), Alipore, directed the police to pursue the non-bailable arrest warrant, which was issued on December 9, 2002, following Adridharan's failure to comply with his assurance before the Supreme Court to surrender before the SDJM today.

Adridharan had been accused of misusing his power as president of ISKCON's Kolkata unit and was removed from the post.

He had then moved a petition before the Calcutta High Court challenging his removal, but the HC approved his removal.

However, it was alleged that Adridharan, suppressing his removal from the post, had subsequently collected huge sum of money and culled other favours in the name of ISKCON.

Dayaram Das, who was appointed as the new president of ISKCON's Kolkata unit, filed a case of cheating, misappropriation of funds and forgery against Adridharan before SDJM, Alipore.

Adridharan, who then left for Bangalore, moved the district court there in August 2002, and prayed for anticipatory bail. The court asked him to surrender before Alipore SDJM within 10 days.

However, he failed to turn up before the court and an arrest warrant was issued against him by the SDJM.