Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 21 : Jyotish Peeth Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Saturday dismissed the allegations against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO), calling them as "fabricated". He also noted that his legal team had already informed the court of this stance on Saturday.
Speaking to ANI, the religious leader alleged that the complainant, Ashutosh Brahmachari, has a history of filing false cases against others and is a registered history-sheeter at the Kandhla police station in the Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh.
Addressing the allegations against him, Swami Avimukteshwaranand claimed that "Sanatan Dharma" is under threat from individuals within the faith who seek to destroy the Hindu religion and the institution of the Shankaracharya.
"The court has its own procedure. The court has registered the complaint, and after registering it, they will investigate... We have informed the court that this case is fabricated... The person named Ashutosh (the complainant) is registered as a history-sheeter under the Kandhla police station in Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh. Many people are victims themselves and say that he (Ashutosh Pandey) has filed false cases against them too," said Swami Avimukteshwaranand.
"The accusation made by us has been made by the disciple of a person who calls himself a Jagadguru. What does this mean? It means that Sanatan Dharma is not under threat from any outsider but rather it is these very people from within who want to destroy Hindu religion, who want to destroy the institution called Shankaracharya..." added Swami Avimukteshwaranand.
Earlier today, a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court in Prayagraj ordered the registration of an FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati. The order follows allegations of sexual exploitation of minors levelled against the religious leader.
Following the court's order, a case will now be registered at the Jhunsi police station. The complaint was filed under Section 173(4) by Shakumbhari Peethadhishwar Ashutosh Brahmachari Maharaj, who sought the registration of an FIR and strict action in the matter.
Ashutosh Brahmachari, who is associated with the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Mukti Nirman Trust and serves as Shakumbhari Peethadhishwar, alleged that minor children were exploited at the ashram of Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and claimed to have submitted a CD containing evidence to the court. He had filed the application on January 28 after Jhunsi police allegedly failed to register a case against the accused.