The Allahabad high court has sought instructions (information) from the state government in response to a writ petition alleging that Ashutosh Maharaj exerted pressure on one Ramashankar Dixit to lodge a false case of sexual assault against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati. The petitioner had alleged that when he refused to budge, he was threatened with dire consequences.
In this backdrop, petitioner Dixit, a resident of Shahjahanpur, has sought protection from police and moved the high court seeking passing of an appropriate direction in this connection.
While hearing the writ petition, a division bench comprising Justice JJ Munir and Justice Indrajeet Shukla also directed to implead Ashutosh Maharaj as a party respondent in the writ petition. Maharaj claims to be the president of Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Mukti Nirman Trust, Mathura,
The court also directed the registrar (compliance) to communicate this order to the inspector general of police, Bareilly zone, Uttar Pradesh, the superintendent of police, Shahjahanpur and the station house officer, Sadar Bazar police station, Shahjahanpur through chief judicial magistrate of Bareilly and Shahjahanpur.
Accordingly, the court in its order dated July 9 directed to list this case on July 16 for hearing. In the present writ petition, Dixit alleged that on February 18, 2026, three unknown persons tried to allure him by offering him money and asked him to get Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati implicated in a fake case.
The petitioner said when he refused to do so, they threatened to eliminate him, he alleged. Dixit said some policemen were deployed at his residence after he approached the police administration. However, he alleged that even the policemen deployed for his security tried to influence him to change his statement.
Thereafter, he again approached the police authorities concerned with his complaint but no effective step has been taken so far. Hence, he had no option but to file the present writ petition before the high court. In the writ petition, he has alleged that security of his life and also his family members is under constant threat. Thereafter, he has prayed the high court to ensure his protection by passing an appropriate order.
To recall, acting on Ashutosh Maharaj’s application earlier, a special Pocso court in Prayagraj had directed the police to register a case of sexual assault under the Pocso Act against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and others.
