Varanasi, February 23: The Uttar Pradesh police on Monday arrived at the residence of Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati to arrest him in an alleged sexual assault case.
Speaking to the media, Swami said that he will not oppose the police in any way and will cooperate with them.
The Shankaracharya said that he expresses belief in three courts, which are the public, his heart and god, asserting that he has been given clean chits from each of them.
"We will not oppose the police in any way; we will cooperate with them. Whatever the police do, the public is watching everything. Look, for us there are three courts. One is the lower court, one is the middle court, and one is the Supreme Court. The lower court is the public -- the people are watching everything, and they are the ones who will give the verdict. The middle court is our own conscience -- we know within our hearts whether we are wrong or not. And the third is God, the Supreme Court -- He is also watching who is wrong and who is right. So in such a situation, we have a clean chit from all three courts," Swami Avimukteshwaranand told reporters.
This comes after last week, when an FIR was lodged at Jhunsi police station against Jyotish Peeth Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari, and others following directions from a Special Court under the POCSO Act.
The case was registered late Saturday night, around 11:30 PM, after police had received the court's order. Officials confirmed that action was taken in compliance with the judicial directive.
The FIR has been filed under Section 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with Sections 3, 4(2), 6, 16, 17 and 51 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.
The allegations relate to incidents said to have occurred between January 13, 2025 and February 15, 2026. The complaint contains serious charges concerning sexual offences involving minors.
The order was passed by Special Judge (POCSO) Vinod Kumar Chaurasia after hearing a petition filed by Ashutosh Brahmachari. In its ruling, the court referred to the complaint, statements of two alleged victims, testimony of independent witnesses, and an inquiry report submitted by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj.
Observing that the material on record disclosed cognizable and punishable offences under the relevant laws, the court directed the SHO of Jhunsi police station to register the FIR without delay and proceed in accordance with the law. (ANI)
