ABAP gen secy hints at internal probe by retd HC judges
PRAYAGRAJ: The general secretary of the Akhil Bhartiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP), Swami Hari Giri has said that the Akhada Parishad will appoint a separate probe panel comprising five retired judges of the high court to get to the bottom of its chief’s death, if needed.
A probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the death of ABAP president Mahant Narendra Giri is underway and an internal probe by ABAP is also going on through a confidentially appointed committee of seers.
Claiming the issue to be directly related to the safety and security of all senior seers in general, Hari Giri, who is the chief patron of Juna Akhada, one of the 13 ancient Hindu monastic orders of the country, has reiterated his belief of foul play in Mahant Narendra Giri’s death.
“Whatever be the outcome of CBI inquiry, I am not ready to accept that Maharajji (Narendra Giri), who had been my close associate for over 30 years, can commit suicide. He was a ‘Babbar Sher’ (lion) and so was his character, which can be seen through the bold decisions he took. How can one digest that a man of his calibre and strong will can take a step such as ending his life? Because of this, we sense that there is more to the story for which a deep probe is necessary,” Giri said.
He further said, “In the past, four seers have died under mysterious circumstances and barring Narendra Giri, there was no probe whatsoever. No one is interested in finding out what happened.”
Giri said, “My ashram is surrounded by people living a nomadic life and one day someone will murder me and the incident would be projected as ‘suicide’. And people will say ‘Now it is in practise. One seer had committed suicide, so has this one too,” said Hari Giri.