Avimukteshwarananda accused of sexual exploitation: Will he be able to prove himself innocent?

An FIR has been registered against Swami Avimukteshwaranand on charges of sexual exploitation of children. A case has been registered on the orders of POCSO court of Prayagraj. Swami Avimukteshwaranand is the Shankaracharya of Jyotishapeeth. This is the first time that a case has been registered against someone calling himself Shankaracharya on such heinous charges. The person who filed the case against Avimukteshwaranand is Ashutosh Brahmachari, whose role is not clear. Ashutosh Brahmachari is a resident of Shamli in UP. It is being said that he is an old history-sheeter. There are more than twenty criminal cases registered against him on serious charges, including cases of gang rape, Goonda Act, Gangster Act and Cow Slaughter Act, but he has not been convicted in any case.

Ashutosh Brahmachari had filed a complaint against Avimukteshwaranand at Jhunsi police station in Prayagraj on January 24. An allegation was made against Avimukteshwarananda and his disciple Mukundananda of sexual exploitation of two Batukas. When the police did not register an FIR, Ashutosh Brahmachari filed an application in the POCSO court of Prayagraj, the victim reached the court with the batkus. The judge vacated the courtroom and took the statements of both the minor Batukas, the statement of Ashutosh Brahmachari was recorded and after that the court ordered to file a case against Avimukteshwaranand and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari under the POCSO Act. Swami Avimukteshwarananda is currently in his ashram in Kashi. He has applied for anticipatory bail in the High Court.

Avimukteshwaranand said that all the allegations are baseless, the Batuks who are being talked about being exploited are not the students of his Gurukul. Under the POCSO Act, the arrest of the accused is confirmed. Politics is also taking place in this matter. Leaders of Samajwadi Party and Congress have openly come in support of Swami Avimukteshwaranand. Workers of both the parties are reaching the ashram of Swami Avimukteshwarananda and declaring that if the police takes any action then they will take to the streets. Akhilesh Yadav targeted Yogi Adityanath on the pretext of Avimukteshwaranand. Said that Yogi has gone on a foreign tour wearing saffron clothes and in his state a Shankaracharya is being implicated in a false case.

However, the allegations against Swami Avimukteshwarananda are serious but the court will decide how much truth is there in them. Till now it is not even known how true is Avimukteshwaranand’s claim of being Shankaracharya because this case is also pending before the court. But it is true that the behavior of Swami Avimukteshwarananda is not befitting the dignity of a saint. He is openly playing the game of politics. Yogi Adityanath’s opponents are trying to take advantage of whatever Swami Avimukteshwarananda is doing. (Rajat Sharma)

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