Akhara Parishad mulls panel of retired HC judges to probe Mahant's death

The Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) general secretary, Mahant Hari Giri, has said that the Akhara Parishad may appoint a separate probe panel comprising five retired judges of the high court to investigate the death of Mahant Narendra Giri.

The Mahant said the issue was directly related to the safety and security of all senior seers.

Mahant Hari Giri, who is the chief patron of Juna Akhara, reiterated that there was foul play in Mahant Narendra Giri's death.

"Whatever be the outcome of the CBI inquiry, I am not ready to believe that Mahant Narendra Giri, who had been my close associate for over 30 years, can commit suicide," said Giri.

"How can one digest that a man of his calibre can take such an extreme step? Because of this, we sense that there is more to the story for which a deep probe is necessary. In the past, four seers have died under mysterious circumstances and barring Narendra Giri, there has been no probe whatsoever. No one is interested in finding out what happened," he said.

On the issue of Balbir Giri of Niranjani Akhara being made the successor of Narendra Giri, Hari Giri termed it as an internal matter of an Akhara.

"It is our practice that one Akhara does not interfere in the decisions of another Akhara. Even though his (Narendra Giri's) disciple is being made the head of Baghambari Math, it is the moral responsibility of everyone in Niranjani Akhara to find out the truth behind the death," he said.