PRAYAGRAJ: A viral photograph has ignited a firestorm of controversy, with Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati accusing the police of collusion in a high-profile case. The image shows ACP Ajay Pal Sharma, responsible for investigating complaints against the swami, gleefully sharing a cake-cutting moment with Ashutosh Maharaj, the complainant behind serious allegations including POCSO charges.
Addressing the media, the swami held up the photo and declared, ‘Look at this— the accuser and the investigator celebrating together. How can the public have faith in such a biased probe?’ He painted a vivid picture of the sequence of events, starting with the denial of bathing rights at the Sangam on February 18, followed by attacks on religious symbols.
‘That same day, ACP Sharma met us at noon by the Sangam, and Ashutosh Maharaj showed up in the evening to file a case. Two days on, they escalated to POCSO,’ the swami recounted. He dismissed the murder attempt FIR as untenable due to CCTV coverage on public roads and criticized police inaction when children were presented as witnesses. ‘POCSO demands immediate action—medical exams, FIRs—yet nothing happened until they went to court. This reeks of a setup.’
The incident has exposed deep fissures in law enforcement’s handling of religious disputes during the Magh Mela. Swami Avimukteshwaranand’s revelations have fueled calls for transparency, with many viewing the photo as damning evidence of impropriety. As political and religious leaders weigh in, the pressure is on authorities to address these allegations and restore public confidence in the justice system.