News Analysis India

Tag: Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad

  • Mahant Giri was under ‘grave mental trauma’ from accused, ended life to avoid defamation: CBI

    CBI recovered a video of the Mahant, recorded before he killed himself, in which he alleged that Anand Giri was going to release an “edited video” showing him in an objectionable position.

  • Narendra Giri’s disciple Balbir Giri is new head of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: Mahant Balbir Giri, 35, is all set to become one of the youngest heads of the Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad.

    Office-bearers of Shri Panchayati Akhara Niranjani in Haridwar on Thursday decided to anoint his disciple Balbir Giri as the next chief of Baghambari Math. The position fell vacant following the death of Mahant Narendra Giri on September 20.

    Ravindra Puri, secretary of Niranjani Akhada, second-most prominent akhada among the 14 religious akhadas, said, “It was a unanimous decision as per the will of Mahant ji. A board will be constituted soon to assist the new head of the Mutt.”

    The board will include the ‘Panch Parmeshwar’ (five selected seers) and others. 

    Balbir Giri was named as the successor of Baghambari Mutt by deceased Mahant Narendra Giri in his will. 

    ALSO READ | Mahant death case: CBI seizes laptop, documents from Anand Giri’s Haridwar ashram

    The meeting took place in Niranjani akhada ashram in Haridwar in the presence of Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of the akhada Swami Kailashanada Giri.

    An internal investigation will also be conducted by the akhada to ascertain the ‘character’ of the successor of Narendra Giri and if he is worthy to succeed the deceased Mahant.

    Meanwhile, the supervisory board will be sole guardian of the properties own by the Baghambari Mutt. 

    After the suicide of the seer, speculations arose about the power struggles given the property worth Rs 700 crore the Mutt owns in Prayagraj, Haridwar, and other parts of the country. 

    Since 1991, over two dozen saints in Haridwar have been killed. Most of these cases still remain unsolved. The trend is disturbing which indicates bitter rivalry among different factions of seers running and managing big properties in form of ashrams, residential properties and others.  

  • Anand Giri, two others accused of abetting Akhara chief suicide sent to CBI custody

    By PTI

    ALLAHABAD: Swami Anand Giri and two others, arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide by Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad president Narendra Giri last week, were on Monday remanded to the CBI custody for seven days by an Allahabad court.

    The three, including Bade Hanuman Temple priest Adya Prasad Tiwari and his son Sandeep, were remanded to the CBI custody by Chief Judicial Magistrate Harendra Nath.

    District prosecution counsel Gulab Chandra Agrahari said CJM Nath sent the trio to the CBI custody after hearing the agency’s remand application with the three accused joining the court proceeding from the Naini jail, where they have been lodged since their arrests, through video conference.

    The CBI remand for the three will start at 9 am on September 28 and last till 5 pm on October 4, he added.

    Narendra Giri was found hanging from the ceiling of his room in Shri Baghambari Gaddi under the Geoge Town police station area.

    In his suicide note, the deceased had named the three, accusing them of mentally harassing him, following which the police had lodged an FIR under section 306 of the Indian Penal Code on charges of abetting the suicide.

    The Uttar Pradesh police had arrested Anand Giri and Adya Tiwari the very next day on September 21 after the Akhara Parishad chief was found dead in his room.

    The third accused and Tiwari’s son Sandeep was arrested on September 22 and all three of them were remanded to judicial custody after their arrests.

    The CBI took the probe into the case on the Uttar Pradesh government’s recommendation.