In a major relief to Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and his disciple, Swami Mukundanand Giri in the sexual harassment case, Allahabad High Court has granted them anticipatory bail on Wednesday.
The verdict was delivered by a single-judge bench comprising Justice Jitendra Kumar Sinha.
On February 27, the court had reserved its verdict following the conclusion of the hearings.
Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and his disciple, Swami Mukundanand Giri, had filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court to seek protection from arrest.
The court stated that he will not be arrested until a chargesheet is filed and that he would cooperate with the police in the investigation.
Ashutosh Maharaj, who filed the case and opposed the arrest, appeared online during the hearing.
After the court’s decision to grant an anticipatory bail, Shankaracharya, in his first reaction from Kashi, said, “Whatever it takes, including a narco test, to bring out the truth. Lies don’t last long. All evidence will be presented. If the verdict isn’t in our favor, we will approach the Supreme Court.”
On March 17 last, Ashutosh Maharaj filed an 883-page reply in the High Court, opposing Shankaracharya’s bail and demanding his immediate arrest.
Shankaracharya’s lawyer, P N Mishra, represented him in the court while Additional Advocate General Manish Goyal represented the state government. Complainant Ashutosh Maharaj’s lawyer, Reena Singh, also argued.
Shankaracharya had filed an anticipatory bail application on February 24 in the case of sexual harassment of the novices.
Ashutosh Brahmachari, a disciple of Tulsi Peethadhishwar Swami Rambhadracharya, had filed a petition in the district court on February 8. Following the order of Judge (Rape and POCSO Special Court) Vinod Kumar Chaurasia, the police of Jhusi police station registered an FIR against Swami Avimukteshwarananda on February 21 for raping the children.
A dispute erupted between Shankaracharya and the administration at the Magh Mela in Prayagraj on January 18, the day of Mauni Amavasya. Eight days later, on January 24, Ashutosh Maharaj, a disciple of Jagadguru Rambhadracharya, filed a complaint with the Police Commissioner, alleging sexual abuse of children during the Magh Mela 2026 and Mahakumbh 2025.
A petition was filed in the Special POCSO Court on February 8, accusing the police of inaction. Two children were produced in court on February 13. Their statements were recorded on February 21. On the court’s orders, an FIR was registered at the Jhunsi police station that same day.
The FIR named Shankaracharya, his disciple Mukundanand, and two or three unidentified persons as accused. On February 24, Shankaracharya accused Prayagraj Additional Commissioner Ajay Pal Sharma of conspiracy and filed an anticipatory bail petition in the Allahabad High Court.