HC rejects contempt plea against Swami Avimukteshwaranand

Prayagraj: Allahabad high court on Friday dismissed a contempt application filed against Swami Avimukteshwaranand and his disciple, Mukundanand Brahmachari, over alleged violation of conditions set by the court while granting anticipatory bail to them in a Pocso case registered in Prayagraj.

The plea was filed by Ashutosh Maharaj, the complainant in the Pocso case against the seers. In his petition, Maharaj had alleged that the accused seers had flouted the high court’s March 25 order by holding meetings and making public statements.

Rejecting the application, Justice Dinesh Pathak observed that the complainant has the remedy of seeking cancellation of anticipatory bail if there is a violation of its conditions.

While granting anticipatory bail on March 25, the high court had imposed several restrictions, including a direction that the accused, the victims and the informant shall not give media interviews related to the case during the pendency of investigation or trial.

The court had also directed the accused not to tamper with evidence, appear before the trial court on scheduled dates unless exempted, and refrain from directly or indirectly influencing or threatening witnesses.

Additional conditions required the accused to cooperate with the trial, not misuse the liberty of bail, and not leave the country without prior permission of the court concerned.

Swami Avimukteshwaranand and his disciple were booked under the Pocso Act over the alleged sexual abuse of minors during the Magh Mela in Prayagraj in Jan this year.