High Court stays arrest of seer in pocso case
Prayagraj, Feb. 28 -- Allahabad high court on Friday reserved its order on the anticipatory bail application of Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and his disciple Swami Pratyakchaitanya Mukundanand Giri in a sexual abuse case registered against them under the Pocso Act. The court stayed their arrest until a decision is taken on the anticipatory bail plea.
The two religious leaders are accused of sexually exploiting two children (batuks) in their camp at the recently concluded Magh Mela in Prayagraj.
They, however, denied the allegations and termed the case against them as false.
While reserving the order in the anticipatory bail pleas, justice Jitendra Kumar Sinha directed that the parties may file their written submissions along with the relevant case laws by March 12.
The court directed, "Till the disposal of this application, the applicants shall not be arrested in the aforesaid criminal case at police station Jhunsi, Prayagraj, and they are directed to co-operate in the investigation and the investigation shall continue."
Justice Sinha also directed the state government as well as the informant, Ashutosh Pandey alias Ashutosh Brahmchari, to file their replies in the matter. The court said the order on the anticipatory bail plea is likely to be delivered in the third week of March.
Reacting to the high court's grant of interim protection, Avimukteshwaranand termed the charges against him "fabricated" and expressed his faith in the judiciary.
Before the developments in the court, Avimukteshwaranand on Friday said he was willing to undergo a narco analysis test if it helped establish the truth in the case.
Avimukteshwaranand has been in the headlines for his confrontation with the organisers of the Magh Mela in Prayagraj. He accused that the administration had prevented him from bathing on Mauni Amavasya....
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