'IIT Baba' alias Abhay Singh, who became popular during the Maha Kumbh, was taken into police custody in Jaipur on Monday for allegedly making suicide threat on social media. The IIT Baba was detained after Jaipur Police received information that Abhay Singh was staying at a hotel near Riddhi Siddhi Park and causing disturbance.
A team of police personnel from Shipra Path Police Station reached Classic Hotel near Riddhi Siddhi Park in Rajasthan capital and took him into custody.
The police also found Abhay Singh in possession of ganja (marijuana). He was released shortly after a warning from the police since the recovered quantity of 'ganja' was small.
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DCP South Digant Anand, speaking over the incident, said that Jaipur South’s Shipra Path Police Station received information that a man named Abhay Singh was attempting suicide at Hotel Park Classic.
"To verify the report, Station House Officer (SHO) Rajendra Godara, along with a police team, arrived at the scene and found Abhay Singh, son of Karan Singh, a 35-year-old resident of 585/18, Subhash Nagar, Jhajjar, Haryana, at the hotel. When informed about the police control room’s report and questioned about the incident, Abhay Singh took out a packet of ganja (marijuana) from his possession and stated that he had consumed it. He further claimed that he was unaware of any information he may have given under the influence of the drug," the police statement said.
"As per NDPS Act procedures, the police seized the ganja packet, which weighed 1.50 grams. Since the recovered quantity was small, Abhay Singh was granted bail upon presenting a surety," the police said, adding that a case has been registered against him under the NDPS Act.
However, IIT Baba downplayed the incident, saying that the 'ganja' was just "prasad."
"(They) found 'prasad', ganja, from my possession... Every seer has this prasad. If it's illegal, arrest seers who attended Maha Kumbh as they were having it there openly," he told reporters after he was released from the custody.
Latest Incident Comes Days After TV Channel 'Assault'
The latest incident comes just days after Singh alleged that he was assaulted in a news debate programme of a private channel in Noida on February 28. He alleged that some saffron-clad people came into the newsroom and allegedly misbehaved with him and beat him with sticks.
‘IIT Baba’ sat outside the police outpost in Sector 126. However, later he withdrew the protest when police convinced him.