Soon after coming out on bail on Wednesday, the Matri Sadan seer Atmabodhanand, who was arrested on Monday for throwing paper missiles at the District Magistrate Deepak Rawat at a programme, alleged that the DM had beaten him black and blue in a locked room. Notably, the seer had thrown papers at DM to vent his anger against the decision to felicitate him with Madan Mohan Malviya award. Other Matri Sadan seers had defended Atmabodhanand, saying that the DM did not deserve the award as he is instrumental in letting illegal mining of Ganga thrive while the legendary freedom fighter had waged a lifelong fight to maintain the sanctity of the holy river. The DM, however, rubbished the allegation, dubbing it as concocted. In an apparently retaliatory move, he ordered a probe into the encroachment and bribery allegations lodged against a Matri Sadan seer. Other seers demanded the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary to take action against the DM on the charge levelled by Atmabodhanand.
Atmabodhanand said while addressing a press conference at Matri Sadan Ashram at Jagjeetpur after coming out on bail that after he articulated his anger against the move of Mahamana Sewa Sansthan to bestow the DM with the award the DM took him to the VIP room adjacent to the Rishikul auditorium and kicked and punched him mercilessly. “His gunner also took part in the beating spree as he kicked me hard with his boots. The beating spree continued till I dropped on the ground unconscious. later police arrested me. The doctor who was conducting medical examination refused to listen to me,” the seer said.
While listing charges haunting the ashram, DM Rawat said that Matri Sadan had come up on land that belongs to Ganga. “They are breathing fire over mining while their ashram is located right on encroached land that belongs to Gangaji. Aside from stamp duty evasion charge, there is also charge against a seer of encroaching land belonging to Scheduled Caste people and also to forest. We have ordered a probe and once the report comes action would be taken against the inmates of the ashram,” he said.
The DM further said that as per a complaint, Brahmchari Dayanand has received Rs 25 lakh from the owner of a stone crusher, a matter now under investigation.