Indian police are mulling over dispatching a probe team to Malaysia to unearth any evidence at an ashram associated with a disgraced self-proclaimed South Indian godman, implicated in a sex romp last month.

"Through our investigation, we know there is an ashram in Malaysia (Penang). If there is creditable information, we will send our officers to Malaysia to probe but now there is no such information," KN Yogappa, superintendent of police, of Bangalore Criminal Investigation Department told Bernama in a telephone interview today.

A high-powered Indian police squad is currently probing to piece together vital clues to arrest the so-called self-styled guru, who was filmed, purportedly performing raunchy acts, with a south Indian actress in his bedroom - beamed by a Chennai-based television channel.

After the tape was exposed, Bangalore-based police swung into action to unravel the sex fiasco, which later unfurled a clutch of other heinous offences - fraud, unnatural sex, rape and hurting religious sentiments - all cases filed in the Indian court.

"We are investigating how he got money to buy 23 acres of land in the name of Dhyanapeetam (his ashram). No one will give him the land for free," said Yogappa.

30 sex video tapes

    

After the March episode, which provoked widespread criticism and attracted enormous media attention in the south, the swami had gone missing from his ashram in Bangalore, leaving sleuths in a tizzy.

"We received so many complaints and tapes (30 sex video tapes involving the swami) from Lenin (swami's aide) but he is not revealing the names of the people involved, so we can't get the witnesses.

Meanwhile, in Bangalore, the sex footage had become a instant hit in the city, with CDs allegedly featuring the swami costing nearly 1,000 Indian rupees (RM75), regional newspapers reported.

- Bernama