A shocking photo has thrust the Varanasi police into the spotlight, as revered saint Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati demands accountability over apparent fraternization between ACP Ajay Pal Sharma and Ashutosh Maharaj. The complainant in multiple cases against the swami, including grave POCSO accusations, is seen in the image partying with the officer overseeing the probe.
In a fiery address, Swami Avimukteshwaranand brandished the photograph, questioning, ‘These two, hand in glove, cutting cakes and celebrating—while investigating me? What justice is this?’ He meticulously outlined the prelude: prior to February 18, all was calm, but that day saw bathing restrictions at the Magh Mela’s Sangam, desecration of symbols, and a sudden meeting with ACP Sharma.
‘Ashutosh Maharaj filed a case that evening, engineered a POCSO FIR days later, and now the cases keep coming,’ he alleged. The swami challenged the murder bid charge’s credibility amid CCTV ubiquity and lambasted police for ignoring POCSO protocols—no instant FIR, no medicals—opting instead for court drama. ‘The thief’s beard shows the straw; this is a manufactured scandal.’
This exposé arrives amid heightened tensions at sacred sites, amplifying concerns over police conduct in faith-based conflicts. Public sentiment is shifting, with the photo serving as a rallying point for Swami Avimukteshwaranand’s supporters. Authorities face mounting scrutiny, as failure to probe these claims risks eroding institutional credibility in Uttar Pradesh’s spiritual heartland.