Rajesh Pandey
The additional sessions judge, while hearing Narendra Giri suicide case, on Thursday rejected the application of the accused Anand Giri seeking copy of the audio and video tape collected by CBI. The court rejected the said application when counsel for CBI opposed it, saying that the same has already been provided to Anand Giri when the case was transferred to sessions court. According to CBI counsel, the said request has been made only to linger the trial.
After hearing both sides, additional sessions judge Anju Kannaujiya rejected the application of Anand Giri and directed that Anand Giri be connected through video conferencing so that statement of other witness – Ravindra Puri be recorded.
Anand Giri, an accused in the alleged suicide of Mahant Narendra Giri, then president of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) is at present lodged in Chitrakoot jail.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which investigated the case has already submitted charge sheet against Anand Giri and now trial is going on before the additional sessions judge.
The body of Narendra Giri was found hanging from the ceiling of a room in Shri Math Baghambari Gaddi under the limits of Georgetown police station in Prayagraj on September 20, 2021. Narendra Giri was the president of ABAP, the largest organization of seers in India.
In his suicide note, the Mahant had charged Anand Giri and two others of mental harassment.
An FIR was lodged against the three accused under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) at police station Georgetown in Prayagraj.
Subsequently, Anand Giri and two others were arrested. They were produced before the CJM court on September 22 and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days and sent to jail.
Later, on the recommendation of the state government, the investigation of the case was transferred from UP police to the CBI.
After 60 days of investigation, the CBI had submitted its charge sheet on November 20, 2021 stating that Narendra Giri was under such “grave mental trauma” from his estranged disciple Anand Giri and two others that he ended his life to “avoid defamation and insult” in the eyes of society.