Mahant’s death: CBI team reaches Prayagraj for probe

LUCKNOW: A five-member team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from Delhi reached Prayagraj on Thursday afternoon for a preliminary inquiry into the death of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad chief, Mahant Narendra Giri. The state government had recommended a CBI probe into the mahant’s death on Wednesday night.
Late on Thursday evening, the DoPT issued a notification for a CBI probe into the mahant’s death.
The team visited the Bagambhari Math in Prayagraj where Giri had allegedly ended his life. The CBI team also met members of the Special Investigating Team (SIT) constituted by the state government to probe the case.
The CBI team reached Prayagraj around 1pm and went straight to Police Lines. Senior police officials, including SSP Sarvashresth Tripathi and IG Prayagraj zone KP Singh, and 18-member SIT team also reached the Police Lines. The team also questioned the doctors who conducted the postmortem on Giri’s body.
Sources said CBI sleuths recorded statements of mahant Giri’s disciples who broke open the mahant’s room and brought down his body which was hanging from the ceiling.
Source added that this CBI team will return to Delhi and another team will be formed to conduct the probe.
As per rules, CBI takes over an investigation only after a notification is released and then a preliminary inquiry is done before an FIR is registered in a case.
The demand for a CBI probe was raised by opposition parties, including Congress and Shiv Sena. Some seers and Hindu religious leaders had also demanded a CBI probe into the death of Mahant Narendra Giri.