NEW DELHI: Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Tuesday filed an anticipatory bail petition in the Allahabad high court in connection with alleged sexual harassment charges against him and his disciple, Mukundanand Giri. The seer also said that he will talk to the police about the matter. Speaking to reporters in Varanasi, he said: “We haven’t received any notice yet. When they (Police) come, we’ll talk to them. Police haven’t contacted us yet, nor have they been informed, nor have they been served any notice.”The move comes after an FIR was registered at Jhunsi police station in Prayagraj following a court directive from a special POCSO court, which ordered registration of the case on an application moved by Ashutosh Brahmachari Maharaj and others.The FIR alleges that the seer and his disciple, along with two or three unidentified persons, subjected a minor and another youth to repeated sexual assault over the past year, including at a gurukul and during religious congregations such as the recently concluded Magh Mela in Prayagraj. The case was registered under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), according to news agency PTI. Speaking to reporters at Vidya Math, Swami Avimukteshwaranand claimed the case was fabricated. “We had no prior information, and we had also told you people this earlier. Now the point is that this is a false case. What will they say? They will say only what they have been taught. What will they say beyond that? That is why they may not be able to speak, because the case is completely fabricated. Now, we have a photograph that has been sent to us by the public, many people from different places have sent it saying, ‘Look at this, look at this.’ From such people, what kind of justice can you expect? So this is a question we have placed before you, and we have also shown the photograph. It will be good if, through you, the public comes to know what is happening. Because when the public forms an opinion, the information provided by you becomes the basis for it,” he said.The seer also raised questions about the allegations, saying, “The most important issue is, what connection do we have with those children? Children who never came to our attention, who never enrolled in our institution, you can conduct thousands of medical tests on them. It’s up to you to prove their connection to us… We mentioned that our lawyers are working on going to court against the FIR… In a case like POCSO, the police should immediately act. They should believe what the child says, and after believing it, they should immediately get a medical examination. Action should be taken immediately. So the question is, why didn’t the police register it?”Swami Avimukteshwaranand’s anticipatory bail plea seeks protection from arrest while the investigation into the FIR continues. Sources said that a notice has been sent to the office of the government advocate before filing the application in court, according to PTI. The controversy surrounding the seer also traces back to January 18 during Mauni Amavasya, when he was reportedly prevented from taking a ritual dip at the Sangam by Magh Mela officials, prompting an 11-day sit-in protest. Speaking about the incident, he said, “When I sat there for 11 days, no official asked me to take a dip. Now it is too late. I will go to the Magh Mela next year and take a respectful bath.”
