Ashutosh’s dera withdraws plea for deadline extension

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 12

Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan today withdrew the application it filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court for extending by another 15 days the deadline for cremating frozen “godman” Ashutosh.

As the case came up for hearing, the Sansthan sought permission to withdraw the application as it had already filed an appeal in the matter and the same was expected to be heard on December 15.

Accepting the plea, Justice MMS Bedi disposed it of as withdrawn. The Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Raj Mohan Singh also fixed December 15 as the next date of hearing on an appeal filed by the State of Punjab in the matter.

All three appeals, including one by Ashutosh’s “son” Dalip Kumar Jha and Sansthan, will now be heard together on Monday morning.

Justice MMS Bedi, in his December 1 verdict, had directed that the body be cremated within 15 days of receiving the order’s copy by a committee comprising Jalandhar District Magistrate, Senior Superintendent of Police, Municipal Corporation Commissioner, Chief Medical Officer and the Sub-Divisional Magistrate concerned. The orders were received on December 3.

Justice Bedi had added that “godman”, like any other living person, was dead; and also rejected his followers’ claim of having a religious right to retain the body for “uncertain period” as he was in ‘samadhi’ and was expected to return.

The plea for autopsy too was dismissed as it was “not a case of unnatural death”.