VARANASI: In a startling development that has raised serious questions about police impartiality, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati has publicly challenged the integrity of the investigation into complaints against him. The controversy erupted after a photograph surfaced showing Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ajay Pal Sharma celebrating with Ashutosh Maharaj, the very individual who filed complaints leading to multiple cases against the swami.
Swami Avimukteshwaranand, a prominent religious leader known for his outspoken stance on Hindu traditions, displayed the incriminating image during a press interaction. ‘This is Ashutosh Maharaj, who lodged the complaint, and this is ACP Ajay Pal Sharma, under whose jurisdiction the probe is ongoing,’ he stated emphatically. The photo depicts the two cutting a cake together, seemingly in high spirits, prompting the swami to ask, ‘What kind of investigation can we expect from them?’
The swami detailed a timeline of events, asserting that tensions escalated on February 18 when he and his followers were prevented from performing ritual baths at the Sangam during the Magh Mela. That afternoon, he encountered ACP Sharma at the Sangam nose, and by evening, Ashutosh Maharaj appeared on the scene. ‘They filed a case that very evening, followed by a POCSO case two days later, and now cases are piling up one after another,’ Swami Avimukteshwaranand alleged.
He questioned the validity of a murder attempt charge, noting the incident occurred on a public road under constant CCTV surveillance, making evidence fabrication unlikely. ‘Why didn’t the police act immediately when children were brought before them, as mandated by POCSO? Instead, they waited, and now the truth is evident—the police themselves orchestrated this,’ he claimed.
Public outrage is mounting as citizens question the fairness of law enforcement in this sensitive religious matter. Swami Avimukteshwaranand warned that such actions undermine trust in institutions meant to uphold justice, especially during sacred festivals like the Magh Mela. As the controversy simmers, demands for an independent inquiry are growing louder.