Allahabad HC Grants Interim Relief To Swami Avimukteshwaranand In POCSO Case; Reserves Verdict On Anticipatory Bail Plea

Reserving verdict on their anticipatory bail plea, a bench of Justice Jitendra Kumar Sinha directed that the applicants shall not be arrested until the final disposal of the anticipatory bail application.

The bench, however, has asked them to cooperate in the investigation.

Swami Avimukteshwaranand is facing serious charges under the POCSO Act and BNS over alleged sexual abuse of minors during the recent Magh Mela.

The FIR was lodged later Saturday night (February 21) at the Jhunsi Police Station in Prayagraj at 23:37 hours, just hours after a Special POCSO Court in Prayagraj issued a directive to the concerned SHO to register the case 'forthwith'.

The FIR has invoked serious provisions under the POCSO ACT, including Sections 3, 5l, 4(2), 6, 16, 17, and 51. It may be noted that Section 5l r/w Section 6 pertains to the punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault on a child, for which the punishment is rigorous imprisonment not less than 20 years, which may extend to life imprisonment.

One Ashutosh Brahmachari Maharaj had approached the Special Judge after local police authorities allegedly failed to act on initial written complaints regarding the abuse made to the Station House Officer and the Commissioner of Police.

His application alleged that two minors (Victim 'A', aged about 14 years, and Victim 'B', aged about 17 years and 6 months) were subjected to sexual abuse by the accused persons during the period of Magh Mela, 2025-26, at Prayagraj.

It is alleged that the acts complained of were committed under the guise of religious service and discipleship.