Media Corruption

HC stays probe on ashram sadhaks
TNN 10 December 2009, 05:28am IST

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court has raised some critical questions on the investigation carried out by CID (crime) in connection with mysterious deaths of two boys at the Ashram ashram in Motera.

While ordering a stay on the probe that was going on for more than a year, Justice Akil Kureshi expressed dissatisfaction in the manner in which the investigating agency sought to arraign seven sadhaks in the case.

The judge asked the state government to explain in detail the process of investigation, because the court felt that the FIR lodged more than a year later was a hurried step on part of CID (crime) because of pressure felt in this sensitive case.

"There is an attempt to somehow file a complaint leaving it for the court to later take corrective measures," Justice Kureshi wrote in his order and mentioned that it would not be appropriate to make further observations at this stage.

However, the judge has also commented on the way the sadhaks were booked by the investigating agency. The judge hinted that allegations that the sadhaks had the responsibility of safety of students including Dipesh and Abhishek, and that timely search was not undertaken and that the accused were indulged in performing black magic to search missing boys are not enough to book them under Section 304 of IPC.

"Prima facie, I have serious doubt whether such allegations would constitute offence punishable under Section 304 of IPC," Justice Kureshi observed and stayed the investigation, in which CID has within one year conducted Lie Detector Tests of the witnesses later made accused and sought permission for narco tests. The court was critical of the entire process, for it had taken place without registration of any FIR in this regard.

The high court raised doubts on CID investigation after seven office bearers of Asaram ashram Pankaj Saxena, Yogesh Bhati, Vikas Khemka, Min Ketan Patra, Uday Sanghani, Kaushik Vaani and Ajay Shah filed a plea to get an FIR against them quashed.

These accused were treated as witnesses earlier when the investigating agency sought their narco analysis and the metropolitan court as well as the city sessions court granted permission to CID to conduct truth serum test on some of the applicants treating them as witnesses. However, the high court stayed police from conducting narco on them because the issue is pending before the Supreme Court.


This is another case like the Arushi murder case where the electronic media has gone out of its way in declaring Sant Asharram Bapu a murderer and what not, even before a trial.
I don't know exactly what is the grudge that the owners of the "Sandesh" paper has of Asharamji but the paper is perpetually going after his holiness, hammer and tong.
Asharamji has kept his cool in spite of the gravest provocation and also asked his diciples to remain cool as the Supreme Force will Himself take action.
This, the paper "Sandesh" has taken as a sign of weakness.
Media persons are normally powerful and they use this power to launch false investigations and file FIRs.
Filing an FIR does not mean the person is guilty but the electronic media medias "Breaking News" and taunting remarks by the commentator would make any normal person's blood boil.
When Asharamji cried in anguish, the girl remarked that they were crocodile tears.
The media is supposed to give only news and not its own slanted and binkered interpretation.
We saw what damage they did during Arushi Murder.
They have not learnt.
They are again repeating the same blunder.
Later on they will just issue a one line apology.
Nobody will hear the apology since they will be issued in a very low voice.
But everyone will have heard the continuous defamation being propagated by the media.
I would request our readers to visit the ashram site at www.ashram.org and see how the police have treated the sadhaks who were just saying their prayers there and how they have gone about breaking the ashram stalls.
Some disgruntled ex-sadhaks of the ashrams were sacked for misdemeanour and misappropriation of ashram funds.
There are a number of videos giving the background of these sacked people and their activities.
They have ganged up with the owners of "Sandesh" paper to defame Asharamji and the electronic media just looks for issues to raise their TRPs.
There have been accidents in many schools and colleges.
A number of students have died in BIT,Mesra, one as late as 4th December, this year. One Abhishek Mishra dies in December 2006 but since Lalu Yadav's daughter was involved, Koda did not allow any enquiry.
However, in the case of the Ashram, just because they are peace loving Sadhaks, the police have beat them mercilessly.