Overview
- The Allahabad High Court issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government on a plea by Ashutosh Brahmachari Maharaj to scrap a 2013 police history sheet and delete his name from the surveillance register.
- A bench of Justices JJ Munir and Tarun Saxena asked the state to file a counter-affidavit within two weeks and said it will consider interim relief at the next hearing.
- Ashutosh appeared in person and said many cases cited against him ended in acquittal, some proceedings are stayed, and other disputes relate to religious property rather than crime.
- He is the first informant whose application led a Special POCSO Court in Prayagraj to order a sexual assault FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand and others after local police allegedly did not act on his written complaints.
- Earlier, the High Court granted anticipatory bail to the Swami and a disciple in the POCSO case and questioned why the minors reported the alleged abuse to Ashutosh rather than to their natural guardians.