Brahmachari Ashutosh Maharaj has claimed that he and his followers are facing serious threats following the Allahabad High Court's grant of interim relief to Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati in a POCSO-related case.
Speaking to ANI, he stated that he is “living in hiding” and has not received police protection despite repeated requests.
He alleged that certain political leaders, including a Deputy Chief Minister, are influencing the situation, which has caused him to fear for his life. “We are folding our hands. We cannot fight such powerful people. They have lawyers, money, and political support. We are scared. Our young students (batuks) have been terrified since last night,” he said.
Referring to the High Court’s decision, Ashutosh Maharaj asserted that the order was made without hearing his side and described it as a “one-sided decision.” He added that his camp was informed late at night about the court proceedings, preventing them from appearing or filing a response.
He further accused the opposing side of celebrating the court order with sweets and colours, while his group has been receiving threats. He claimed that there were attempts to attack his vehicle and abduct young students associated with him. Ashutosh Maharaj also said a fake list was circulated on social media, and that police had taken no action despite his complaint.
Citing Section 19 of the POCSO Act, he maintained that his role was limited to reporting the alleged incident and that further investigation falls to the police and judiciary. Nonetheless, he criticised the slow pace of the inquiry, claiming no site map had been prepared and no concrete action taken.
He added that a counter-complaint led to the arrest of an individual from his side, while their concerns were being ignored. “We are afraid to even approach the High Court. There is pressure, there are crowds of lawyers, and we feel unsafe,” he said.
Ashutosh Maharaj concluded by saying he and his followers would focus on religious activities and prayers, urging, “We are requesting that no harm should come to us or our children.”
Meanwhile, Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati welcomed the Allahabad High Court’s interim order staying his arrest related to the POCSO case, stating the court agreed with their appeal.
The High Court has stayed the arrest of the Shankaracharya and his disciple Pratyakchaitanya Mukundanand Giri while reserving its order on their anticipatory bail application.
At a press conference, the Shankaracharya reiterated that the case is fabricated and said the court’s judgment reaffirmed this. “Our counsel informed that the court has stayed our arrest after listening to both sides during the hearing. Our appeal was that the case is fabricated. Surely the judge found substance in our appeal, and so he gave the verdict. That is why we were saying from the beginning to present the truth in the court, and the verdict affirms that the court agrees this case has been false,” he said.
He added: “We had always hoped for justice. But given the circumstances these days, trust has become a risky affair. But we were ready to present our side before the bench. We had believed that someone, somewhere, would not be biased and would fight for the truth.”
The High Court’s interim order provides protection from coercive action until further hearings. The bench directed authorities not to take immediate action against the Shankaracharya and stated he would cooperate with the ongoing police investigation.
The final judgment is expected in the third week of March.