NEW DELHI: An appeal has been filed before the Supreme Court against an Allahabad High Court order granting anticipatory bail to Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati in a case of alleged sexual assault of two children.
The appeal, which is likely to come up for hearing in the coming days, has claimed that the March 25 order failed to adequately consider the severity of the allegations against the seer.
The plea by Shankuri Peethadheshwar Ashutosh Brahmachari, the complainant, has further claimed that Saraswati may influence the witnesses, stating that the standing and following of the accused created apprehension of interference with the investigation.
It alleged violation of court imposed conditions while granting bail, while pointing out that the accused appeared in media interactions “despite directions by the high court to refrain from the same”.
The appeal claimed that the allegations against the seer were grave, attracting punishment up to life imprisonment, and that anticipatory bail in such cases ought to be granted in the rarest of circumstances.
The HC had granted pre-arrest bail to Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari in the case while emphasising that the investigation must proceed without external influence.
On February 27, the court stayed the arrest of Saraswati till it pronounced the order on his anticipatory bail plea. A Special POCSO Court had directed registration of an FIR against Saraswati over allegations of sexual abuse of two minor boys at a camp in Prayagraj.