Booked in POCSO case, Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati says won't resist arrest

An FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on Saturday on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.

Days after he was booked for alleged sexual abuse of two persons, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Monday said he will not oppose his arrest and asserted that the ''fabricated story'' will be exposed sooner or later. Speaking to reporters, Saraswati said there are three courts -- the first is the public, which is following all the developments and will deliver its verdict; the second is his own conscience; and the third is the Supreme Court, which knows who is right and who is wrong. ''I have received clean chits from all three,'' he claimed. An FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on Saturday on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela. The FIR was registered under the relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita following an order of a special court. Saraswati said the truth will eventually come to light and the ''fabricated story'' will be exposed sooner or later. He claimed that he remained in the fair area in full view of CCTV cameras and the media during the Magh Mela. Responding to the allegations linked to his gurukul, he claimed that the boys in question never studied there nor did they take admission, and that their marksheets indicated they were students of a school in Hardoi. He also dismissed claims about an alleged CD, asking why it has not been made public if it exists. According to the FIR, the accused, posing as religious preceptors, allegedly subjected the minor and another youth to repeated sexual assault on multiple occasions over the past year. It also alleged that the acts were carried out under the guise of guru seva and by misusing religious authority. Saraswati hit the headlines recently for his confrontation with the organisers of the Magh Mela. He accused them of preventing him from taking a bath on Mauni Amavasya. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that an independent, impartial and transparent investigation into the case against Saraswati. This is essential to protect the constitutional dignity of religious autonomy, Rai said in his letter. He said Saraswati had previously publicly questioned the Uttar Pradesh government's administrative system in connection with the stampede at the Maha Kumbh. Subsequently, incidents such as his being prevented from bathing at the Magh Mela and alleged mistreatment of his disciples came to light, drawing widespread criticism. Criticism cannot be suppressed by punitive power, the Congress leader said. In light of the above constitutional principles, it is essential that the investigation is impartial, independent and completely free from political influence, Rai said. This issue is not just about one individual, but is related to faith, constitutional rights and impartiality of governance, he said. The people of the country want confidence that the rule of law is supreme in India and that abuse of any kind will not be protected, he said.

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