New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The legal battle surrounding Jyotish Peeth Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati intensified on Friday, March 27, 2026, as the original complainant, Ashutosh Brahmachari Maharaj, moved the Supreme Court seeking to cancel the anticipatory bail granted to the religious leader. The petition challenges the Allahabad High Court’s March 25 order, which provided protection from arrest to the Shankaracharya and his disciple, Mukundanand Giri, in a high-profile case involving allegations of child sexual abuse. Ashutosh Maharaj contended that the High Court failed to adequately weigh the “extreme severity” of the charges and expressed grave concerns that the influential accused might interfere with witnesses.
The controversy stems from an FIR registered in February 2024 at the Jhunsi police station in Prayagraj, acting on the directives of a Special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Court. The complaint alleges the systemic sexual exploitation of several ‘batuks’—young disciples—under the care of the accused. While the Allahabad High Court had initially stayed the arrests on February 27 and subsequently granted anticipatory bail, it had emphasized that the investigation must remain insulated from external pressures. However, the complainant argues that the gravity of POCSO-related offences necessitates custodial interrogation to ensure a fair and transparent probe.
As the matter reaches the apex court, the legal implications for the Jyotish Peeth leadership remain significant. The High Court had previously directed both the Shankaracharya and Mukundanand Brahmachari to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation while reserving its final orders. Legal experts note that the Supreme Court’s intervention will now hinge on whether the High Court’s discretion in granting bail overlooked established protocols for sensitive cases involving minors. The development adds a new layer of complexity to a case that has already sparked widespread debate across religious and legal circles in Uttar Pradesh.
