A special POCSO court on Saturday directed the Jhunsi Police Station SHO to register an FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati to probe allegations of sexual abuse of minor boys.

The order was passed by Special Judge (POCSO Act) Vinod Kumar Chaurasia, who had last week reserved his decision after examining the material placed on record and recording the statements of the affected children, referred to as batooks at the Vidya Math ashram.

The application was filed by Ashutosh Brahmachari Maharaj and others under Section 173(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), seeking directions for registration of an FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati. The plea invoked multiple provisions of the BNS relating to sexual offences, along with Sections 3, 5, 9 and 17 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Accepting the plea, the court ordered the police to conduct a full investigation into the allegations.

Reacting to the order, Ashutosh Brahmachari said the decision marked the beginning of justice for the victims. He also announced a “Sanatan Yatra” from Prayagraj to Vidya Math in Varanasi, claiming there was substantial evidence of child sexual abuse at the ashram, which had been placed before the court and would now be handed over to the police.

Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati has recently been in the public eye following a dispute with the administration during the Magh Mela in Prayagraj, where he alleged that he was prevented from taking a ritual bath on Mauni Amavasya.