HC rejects contempt against Swami Avimukteshwaranand

The Allahabad High Court on Friday rejected the contempt application filed against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari, seeking punitive action over alleged disobedience of court order. Ashutosh Brahmachari Maharaj had filed the petition alleging violation of court order passed while granting anticipatory bail to Avimukteshwaranand in a POCSO case registered at Prayagraj. Rejecting the application, Justice Dinesh Pathak observed that the applicant could file for cancellation of anticipatory bail granted by the court, if he is violating bail conditions.

In the contempt application, it was alleged that in spite of the order of the High Court, Avimukteshwaranand is holding several meetings and is making statements in violation of the High Court order. Earlier, Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal had recused himself from hearing the contempt petition, saying that he does not want to hear the matter. After this, the chief justice nominated Justice Pathak to hear the matter.