Overview
- On February 21, a Special POCSO Court in Prayagraj directed the Jhunsi SHO to register a case on an application moved under Section 173(4) citing earlier police inaction, while stating it expressed no view on the merits.
- Jhunsi police registered the FIR late the same night, naming Swami Avimukteshwaranand, his disciple Mukundanand, and two to three unidentified persons under stringent POCSO provisions, along with relevant BNS sections.
- The allegations involve two boys, about 14 and 17, who say they were repeatedly abused from January 13, 2025 to February 15, 2026, including during the Magh Mela, with the acts described as amounting to penetrative sexual assault under the guise of ‘guru seva’.
- The court had recorded the minors’ statements by videography in a closed courtroom and ordered a fair, independent, and expeditious probe with protection of the victims’ identities and collection of medical, digital, and location evidence.
- Swami Avimukteshwaranand has publicly rejected the allegations as fabricated, questioned the complainant’s credibility, and said he will cooperate and not resist arrest, while police confirm the investigation is underway.