POCSO case: Allahabad HC stays Shankaracharya's arrest, reserves order

Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati welcomed the Allahabad HC's order staying his arrest in a POCSO case. He reiterated his stance that the case is fabricated and said the court's judgement reaffirms this and rebuilds trust.

Shankaracharya Welcomes Arrest Stay, Says Case is Fabricated

Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Friday welcomed the Allahabad High Court's order staying his arrest in connection with the POCSO case, stating that the court agreed with their appeal.

While staying the arrest of Shankracharya and his disciple Pratyakchaitanya Mukundanand Giri, the High Court has reserved its order on their anticipatory bail application earlier today.

Addressing a press conference here, the Shankracharya reiterated his stance that the case is fabricated and stated that the court's judgement reaffirms the same. "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.

"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," he added.

Alleges Lapses in Police Proceedings

The Shankaracharya further pointed out lapses in the police proceedings of the minors, stating that they should have been sent to a juvenile home either by the police or the Special Court to ensure their safety. He said that the police were focused on "defaming the Shankracharya".

"The procedure of keeping the minors in a juvenile home should have been done by the police when the FIR was lodged, and a medical examination should have been done then as well. Even when they approached the court, the custody of the minors should have been given to the appropriate authority for their safety. But it is the High Court that has highlighted the requirement of providing appropriate custody to the minors. Earlier, this wasn't even being discussed, and the entire focus was on defaming the Shankracharya," he said.

Impact on Hindu Community

He said that the case had raised suspicion in the Hindu community for the Shankracharya, but the court's decision has assured that truth prevails. "The entire Hindu community in the country was hurt by the case. People had become suspicious and were thinking whether their Guru was wrong. Today, even though prima facie, the trust has been rebuilt in all communities, the pleas are being heard, and justice is being served," he said.

Court's Interim Order

Earlier in the day, the HC order provided interim protection from coercive action until further hearing in the matter. The bench directed the authorities not to take any immediate action against the Shankaracharya and stated that he would cooperate with the ongoing police investigation. The final judgment is expected in the third week of March.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)