POCSO Court Orders FIR Against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Over Sexual Abuse Allegations

A special POCSO court in Prayagraj has ordered the Station House Officer of Jhunsi Police Station to register an FIR against prominent religious figure Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, directing an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse of minor boys residing at his ashram, Vidya Math.

Special Judge (POCSO Act) Vinod Kumar Chaurasia passed the order after examining evidence and recording the statements of the victimised 'batooks' — as the young boys residing at the ashram are referred to — last week. The court had reserved its decision on an application filed by Ashutosh Brahmachari Maharaj and others under Section 173(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) before delivering its ruling.

The petitioners had sought the court's direction for registration of an FIR against Avimukteshwaranand under Sections 69, 74, 75, 76, 79, and 109 of the BNS — all pertaining to sexual assault — as well as Sections 3, 5, 9, and 17 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The court accepted the petition in its entirety and directed the Jhunsi Police to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations.

The development marks a significant legal escalation in the case, with the matter now formally entering the domain of criminal investigation following judicial intervention.