A day after the police registered a case against Ramdev's brother Ram Bharat on charges of abducting and manhandling a former employee, the yoga guru attacked the government and said it was an attempt to defame him.

"There are headlines on television channels accusing me and my brother of abduction. These are all false and baseless allegations against me. This is a conspiracy by the Congress government, both at the Centre and in Uttarakhand, to defame me."

Accusing the Congress of adopting a hostile attitude towards him, Ramdev said, "I am being portrayed as a criminal. It is clear from some incidents in recent past that I am being victimised and targeted by the ruling Congress party."

According to the police, 25-year-old Nitin Tyagi used to work as a supervisor with Patanjali Food and Herbal Pvt Ltd till two years ago. There he was accused of stealing a herb used in making ayurvedic medicine. Four days ago, Ram Bharat allegedly abducted Tyagi and kept him in captivity. The man was rescued from Patanjali Phase 2 only after his grandfather, Som Tyagi, filed a complaint.

Baba Ramdev Government is trying to defame me

The police have filed a case under Sections 323, 504, 506, 365 and 342 of IPC at Kankhal police station against Ram Bharat and the four security guards. While whereabouts of Bharat and three security personnel are unknown as of now, one guard has been arrested and is being questioned by the police.

Ramdev, however, has termed the charges against his brother as baseless. "A worker at Patanjali Yog Peeth was caught red-handed stealing nearly R30 lakh. He was detained at the ashram by the security personnel and later handed over to the local police. It is unfortunate that our rivals, instigated by some political leaders at the Centre, projected the whole incident in a negative manner and the media also reported it like a case of kidnapping. It is another case to defame me," he said.

He said he was a victim of a political conspiracy. "They are trying to infiltrate sex workers into the ashram, they will be then caught and people will say Ramdev is a sex offender."

Speaking to HT, SSP Rajeev Swaroop said, "One of the four private security guards of Ram Bharat, Ramesh Kumar, has been taken in custody and interrogation is on. The victim will be given due justice and the culprits will not be spared. A special team has been formed to nab the other accused."