Court extends CBI custody of 3 accused by 14 days
PRAYAGRAJ: With the chief judicial magistrate’s court (Prayagraj) on Tuesday granting Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) 14 days more custodial remand of the three accused -Anand Giri, Aadya Tiwari and his son Sandeep Tiwari -- in connection with the death of Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad’s former chief Narendra Giri, the agency is now focusing on scientific investigations and recovery of evidence from various places which the three accused can point out in Prayagraj and Haridwar.
The CBI had filed an application before the Prayagraj court seeking further custodial remand of fourteen days of the three accused.
CJM Harendra Nath granted 14 days more custody to the agency.
The agency would also focus on quizzing those persons whose names have surfaced in the investigations until now. They are related to Anand Giri, his guru Narendra Giri, Baghambari Gaddi Math and Bade Hanuman Temple, said an official privy to the investigation. “The CBI is now laying stress on scientific investigations of the case and recovery of clues from Anand Giri’s mobile and laptop, besides connecting the dots to collaborate sequence of events for unearthing clues,” he said.
According to investigating officials, during the seven days remand, Swami Anand Giri claimed innocence when questioned by the CBI officials. Anand Giri ruled out suicide angle as cause of the death of his guru and instead claimed that he was murdered.
He also named some persons who might be involved in the foul play and revealed names of those individuals with whom CBI officials had carried out questioning while some were yet to be grilled.
During this period, the CBI also took Anand Giri to Haridwar and recovered his laptop and mobile. However, CBI officials failed to find any morphed photograph or video as mentioned in the purported suicide note found in the room where Mahant Narendra Giri’s body was found hanging from the ceiling fan in the evening on September 20.
Now, CBI may carry out narco analysis test of Anand Giri and some other persons to smoke out truth and get clues to crack the mysterious death of Mahant Narendra Giri. However, for the test, the CBI will require consent from the accused, officials shared.
CBI officials have so far questioned around 30 people, whose names surfaced during investigations, questioning of the accused and call details found from the mobiles of Mahant Narendra Giri and Anand Giri.
CBI has collected scientific evidences from Baghambari Gaddi Math, Bade Hanuman temple and other possible places on the basis of which the investigations will be carried forward.
Meanwhile, Anand Giri’s advocate Vijay Kumar Dwivedi said that Anand Giri had full faith in CBI investigations and judiciary. CBI probe will soon clear the mystery behind Mahant’s death.
CBI team also kept a watch on ‘Shodashi’ of Mahant Narendra Giri and ‘pattabhishek’ of Balbeer Giri at Baghambari Gaddi Math on Tuesday. The CBI team questioned the sewadars and seers at the Math after the ceremony was over.