CBI Takes Over Probe Into Death of Mahant Narendra Giri, Forms Team

Head of Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad Mahant Narendra Giri Maharaj was found dead at his residence in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on Monday, 20 September. Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo: Arnica Kala/The Quint)

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over investigation into the death of Mahant Narendra Giri, the head of Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP). The CBI has constituted a probe team for that purpose, news agency ANI reported on Friday, 24 September.

On Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had recommended a CBI probe into the death of the seer, who was found dead at his residence in UP’s Prayagraj on Monday.

Earlier, the Prayagraj police had constituted an 18-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe the high-profile 'suicide' case. The SIT was led by Ajeet Singh Chauhan, circle officer (IV) in Prayagraj.

An initial investigation had led to the discovery of a suicide note, accusing the seer's disciple Anand Giri as well as two others. The 13-page suicide note accused Anand Giri of planning to use a morphed picture to discredit Narendra Giri.

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

The 72-year-old seer, who headed one of the largest bodies of Hindu saints in the country, was found deceased at his Baghambari Math residence.

ADG law and order Prashant Kumar had stated, "When it was time for his (Narendra Giri's) disciples to leave in the evening, they found the door was locked from inside. When the disciples broke the door and looked inside, his dead body was hanging from a nylon rope. A suicide note has also been found in which he has written about the torture of Anand Giri."

An FIR had been lodged against Anand Giri on Tuesday. He was later detained by the police and was brought to Prayagraj for interrogation. On Wednesday, Anand Giri was sent to 14-day judicial custody.

The chief priest of the Bade Hanuman temple, Adya Prasad Tiwari, and his son Sandeep Tiwari were also detained and interrogated by the police.

Meanwhile, the accused, Anand Giri, had called the allegation against him a conspiracy. "It is a big conspiracy by people who used to extort money from Guruji and wrote my name in the letter. It needs to be investigated as Guruji has not written a letter in his life and could not kill himself. His handwriting needs to be probed," he had stated.

(With inputs from ANI.)