Hypnotic 'professor' released by police

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Bogor Police released on Thursday Sawaran Singh, 63, who was detained on Wednesday for allegedly trying to swindle the rector of Ibnu Khaldun University (UIK) in Bogor.

"He was released because we do not have enough evidence (to press charges against him)," Bogor Police deputy chief Comr. Asep Priatna said on Thursday.

Singh, an Indian national, not a Pakistani national as reported on Thursday, allegedly attempted to hypnotize rector Didin Saefudin at the UIK campus on Wednesday.

Singh reportedly introduced himself to the rector as a Pakistani professor lecturing at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.

Pakistani Ambassador to Indonesia Syed Mustafa Anwer Husain said on Thursday that Singh was not a Pakistani national.

"He (Singh) is an Indian national and the Indian Embassy in Jakarta has already arranged his release from Bogor Police custody," Husain said in a statement sent to The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

A councillor at the Indian Embassy in Jakarta, T.S. Tirimurti, declined to comment on the issue, saying his office had no detailed information on Singh.

The Bogor Police confirmed on Thursday that Singh was an Indian national.

Didin told the police on Wednesday that Singh came to the UIK campus and told him he would become rich and successful. The rector told officers that he then unwillingly began to follow Singh's suggestions.

Singh reportedly told Didin he would return to the campus 21 days from Wednesday. The Indian then wrote the figure US$200 on a sheet of paper and handed it to the rector.

Didin gave Singh Rp 50,000 but the Indian refused the money. Singh then wrote Rp 1 million on the paper.

Another university official called the police, who arrested Singh on the campus on Jl. Soleh Iskandar.

Didin said on Thursday he would forgive Singh if he offered an apology, but he hoped the police would continue their investigation.