POCSO case: Avimukteshwaranand seeks probe by non-BJP ruled state

Varanasi: Jyotish Peeth ‘Shankaracharya’ Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Monday said he was ready to fully cooperate with the police to ensure a fair and speedy probe into the allegations levelled against him.

He claimed that a false story had been fabricated to defame him and sought an independent investigation into the case.

Speaking to mediapersons at the Shri Vidya Math in Kedarnath Ghat, he said the public had little faith in the Uttar Pradesh Police and demanded that the investigation be conducted by police from states ruled by a non-BJP government. He said the police had no evidence to arrest him and asserted that all allegations were false.

He said several CCTV cameras were installed at the Magh Mela venue in Prayagraj, and footage from these cameras should be examined to bring out the truth. An FIR has been registered against him under the POCSO Act by Uttar Pradesh Police in connection with alleged sexual exploitation at the Prayagraj Magh Mela.

There was a buzz at the Kedarnath Ghat math in Varanasi since morning over reports of the Prayagraj Police team heading to the city. Discussions on a possible arrest kept supporters on edge. Police officials, however, said they had information about the team’s movement but it had not arrived till Monday afternoon.

Saying that arrest did not arise at this stage, the Shankaracharya added that if the police decided to arrest him, he was ready to face it. He said arrest could be made to preserve evidence of the incident, but the complainant had taken several days to file the complaint and he had not tried to evade the law.