LUCKNOW: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) commenced the probe into the alleged suicide case of Mahant Narendra Giri by filing an FIR on Friday after taking over the case from Prayagraj police on Thursday.
Mahant Narendra Giri, president, Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), was found dead in mysterious circumstances at Shri Baghambari Muthh on Monday evening.
While three persons, including late Manaht’s disciple Anand Giri, head priest of Bade Hanumanji temple Adya Tiwari and Tiwari’s son Sandip have already been arrested and sent to 14-day judicial custody in connection with late seer’s alleged suicide, the preliminary autopsy report revealed that the Mahant died of asphyxia due to hanging.
All the three accused were arrested by the Prayagraj police on Tuesday following the suicide note recovered from the room where the body of the Mahant was found hanging. In the suicide note, the late Mahant had held all the three responsible for pushing him towards committing suicide.
The Mahant had also named Mahant Balbir Giri as his successor in the alleged suicide note.
The state government had recommended a CBI probe into the case on late Wednesday night and the officials of the central probe agency lodged the FIR on Friday.
Meanwhile, the war of succession in Shri Muthh Baghmbari Gaddi is likely to intensify as three wills done at different times by late Mahant Narendra Giri have surfaced.
On the contrary, the Niranjani Akhara, to which the late seer belonged, and the ABAP both have rejected the suicide theory and the suicide note as well. They even postponed the appointment of Mahant’s successor to September 25.
As per the highly informed sources, Mahant Narendra Giri had done three wills in the capacity of the head of Shri Muthh Baghambari Gaddi.
Mahant’s advocate Rishishankar Dwivedi, who had got all the three wills registered, said that the first will was done by the late Mahant on January 7, 2010. In this will, Mahant Narendra Giri had mentioned Balbir Giri as his successor.
Cancelling the first will, the second will was done by the Mahant on August 29, 2011. “In the second will, Mahantji replaced the name of his successor with his disciple Anand Giri. Anand Giri was supposed to be very close to Mahant Narendra Giri at that time,” said Dwivedi.
However, cancelling both the prior wills, the late Mahant made his third will on June 4, 2020, in which he again nominated Mahant Balbir Giri as his successor, said advocate Dwivedi.
According to the lawyer, the appointment of successor at Shri Muthh Baghamabri Gaddi is always done on the basis of the will left by the preceding head. “Even Mahant Narendra Giri was appointed the head of Baghambari Gaddi on the basis of the will left behind by his predecessor,” said Dwivedi.
As a result of the emergence of the third will, now the Niranjani Akhara and ABAP will have a limited say in the appointment of the successor of the late Mahant Narendra Giri.