The Allahabad High Court has sought a response from the Uttar Pradesh government on a writ petition filed by a Shahjahanpur resident alleging that he was pressured and offered money to falsely implicate Jyotish Peeth Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati in a fabricated sexual assault case and was threatened after refusing to do so.
The Division Bench of Justice JJ Munir and Justice Indrajeet Shukla directed the state counsel to obtain instructions within one week and listed the matter for further hearing on July 16. The Court also directed that Ashutosh Brahmachari alias Ashutosh Pandey be impleaded as a respondent in the writ proceedings.
To ensure immediate compliance, the Bench directed the Registrar (Compliance) to communicate its order within 24 hours to the Inspector General of Police, Bareilly Zone; the Superintendent of Police, Shahjahanpur; and the Station House Officer of Sadar Bazar Police Station, Shahjahanpur, through the Chief Judicial Magistrates concerned.
The writ petition has been filed by Ramashankar Dixit, a resident of Shahjahanpur, who alleged that on February 18, 2026, three unidentified persons approached him and offered him money to falsely implicate Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati in a fabricated criminal case alleging sexual assault. According to the petition, Dixit refused the offer, following which he was allegedly threatened with serious consequences, including danger to his life.
The petitioner further submitted that after reporting the incident to the local police, security personnel were deployed at his residence. However, he alleged that even the police personnel assigned for his protection attempted to influence him to change his statement. Despite subsequently approaching senior police authorities with complaints regarding the alleged intimidation and coercion, no effective action was taken, compelling him to invoke the writ jurisdiction of the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution.
Apprehending a threat to his life and the safety of his family members, Dixit has sought directions for adequate police protection as well as appropriate legal action against those allegedly attempting to coerce him into lodging a false criminal complaint against the seer.
The petition arises against the backdrop of an earlier criminal case involving Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati. Acting on an application filed by Ashutosh Maharaj, who claims to be the president of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Mukti Nirman Trust, Mathura, a Special Court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, at Prayagraj had earlier directed the police to register a First Information Report against the Shankaracharya and others over allegations of sexual assault.
According to the petitioner, the existence of that criminal case was allegedly used as a backdrop to pressure him into becoming a witness in another fabricated prosecution against the seer.
The Court also took note of the fact that Ashutosh Brahmachari has been associated with litigation relating to the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute pending before the Allahabad High Court. He has also separately approached the High Court challenging the opening of a police history sheet against him, contending that it was initiated because of the controversy surrounding the criminal proceedings.
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