POCSO case: SC refuses to interfere with anticipatory bail to Swami Avimukteshwaranand

The Supreme Court on Friday declined to interfere with an Allahabad High Court order granting anticipatory bail to Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and his disciple in a case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

A bench comprising justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh dismissed a plea filed by complainant Ashutosh Brahmachari challenging the relief granted to the seer.

“Sorry, we are not going to interfere,” the bench observed while refusing to set aside the anticipatory bail order.

The case relates to allegations of sexual exploitation of several ‘batuks’ — young disciples — at an ashram linked to the accused. The FIR was registered at Jhunsi police station in Prayagraj following directions issued by a POCSO court.

On 25 March, the Allahabad High Court had granted anticipatory bail to Swami Avimukteshwaranand and co-accused Mukundanand Brahmachari, observing that custodial interrogation was not required at that stage of the investigation.

While granting protection from arrest, the high court directed both accused to cooperate fully with the investigation and barred them, along with the complainant, from making public statements to the media regarding the case.

The allegations against the accused include claims of sexual exploitation and abuse involving minor disciples associated with the religious institution.

With the Supreme Court refusing to intervene, the anticipatory bail granted by the Allahabad High Court will continue while the police investigation proceeds.

With PTI inputs