Ashutosh Maharaj's ashram moves court

CHANDIGARH: The ashram of Ashutosh Maharaj, who was declared clinically dead on January 29, today moved Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a 30-day extension on the deadline given by it to perform the last rites of self-styled godman, so that it could challenge the verdict.

Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan moved a petition in the High Court today saying they want a month's time to challenge the Single Judge Bench order, which had directed on December 1 to conduct the last rites of the godman within 15 days, before a Division Bench.

The Application will come up for hearing tomorrow. On December 1, the court had directed to constitute a committee under the District Magistrate to look into the matter and asked DGP and chief secretary to monitor the situation.

The court had also observed that religious sentiments of the followers should not be hurt.

On January 29, ashram doctors had declared Ashutosh alias Mahesh Kumar Jha clinically dead, after which the management had kept the body inside a deep freezer, stating that the spiritual head had gone into 'samadhi' (deep state of meditation).

One of the petitioners, Dalip Kumar Jha, had moved the High Court in April, seeking the release of mortal remains of "his father" to him for performing last rites and also a probe to ascertain the cause of his "mysterious death".

Another petitioner, Puran Singh, claiming himself to be the spiritual head's former driver, had also approached the court, seeking a CBI probe into the "suspicious" death.