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The Allahabad High Court today pulled up Anand Giri's counsel against his categorical denial of Giri's any criminal history on the last hearing in his bail application in the Mahant Narendra Giri death case. Giri, the key accused in the case, is in judicial custody since September 22, 2021.

Today, the counsel for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Adv. Sanjay Kumar Yadav informed the court that the agency has received a letter from the Australian High Commission which states that on May 5, 2019, Giri was arrested in Sydney, Australia, in a case, however, he was later released.

Taking note of this fact, the bench of Justice Rajiv Gupta said to Giri's counsel, "This is not done Mr. Counsel. On the last date, I had asked you twice whether the applicant has any criminal history and you had denied the same twice. Mr. Chaturvedi. (who had argued on Giri's behalf on the last date of hearing) had categorically stated that the applicant had never been arrested in any case."

When Giri's counsel tried to justify the submissions made on the last date, Justice Gupta said, "Let CBI's affidavit come on record. I'll see it then. I had recorded (Mr. Chaturvedi's) statement in my last order as well."

Further, when the bench enquired whether as per earlier directions, the affidavit in this regard has been filed by CBI, the counsel for the CBI replied that the court order copy in the alleged case is awaited and the affidavit will be filed as soon as the same is received.  

Considering this, the court granted one week's time to the CBI for filing the said affidavit and adjourned the matter till February 24 for further hearing. 

On the last date of hearing, court had directed the CBI to file an affidavit to the fact, as recorded by the prosecution, that a case of molestation had been registered against Anand Giri in Australia in 2019 and that he had been arrested for the same.

However, Senior Advocate Gopal Das Chaturvedi appearing for Giri had pressed that Giri has no criminal history and has never been arrested earlier. The latest developments have taken place in view of Chaturvedi's this submission. 

Backdrop of the case

The Mahant was found hanging from the ceiling of the room in a suspicious condition at Shri Baghambri Math in Prayagraj on September 20. Giri was arrested after Mahant's death as in his suicide note, the Mahant had named Anand Giri and two others for causing mental harassment to him.

Giri's one bail plea has already been rejected by a Special Court in Allahabad on November 11, 2022.

Case Title: Anand Giri @ Ashok Kumar Chotiya vs State of U.P. and Another