The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file a response within two weeks regarding a writ petition filed by Ashutosh Maharaj, who is challenging the police decision to open a history sheet against him. Ashutosh Maharaj, known as the first informant in a POCSO FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand, is also seeking the removal of his name from the police surveillance register.
The matter was heard by a division bench comprising Justice J.J. Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena. The court has scheduled the next hearing for May 13, at which point it will also consider the petitioner’s request for interim relief.
Ashutosh Maharaj, appearing in person, informed the court that he serves as the president of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Mukti Nirman Trust in Mathura. He is also a plaintiff in the ongoing Shahi Idgah-Krishna Janmabhoomi dispute cases currently pending before the High Court.
The petitioner submitted that the Kandhla police station in Shamli district opened a history sheet against him, placing him under police surveillance. A history-sheeter is typically defined as an individual with a habitual criminal record whose activities are monitored by law enforcement for preventive purposes.
Challenging the police’s classification, Ashutosh Maharaj argued that his criminal history does not justify such surveillance. He informed the bench that:
- In several cases listed against him, he has already been acquitted following trial.
- In other instances, judicial proceedings have been stayed by higher courts.
- Remaining matters are primarily civil in nature, specifically relating to disputes over religious properties.
The petitioner contended that the opening of the history sheet was unjustified and sought the court’s intervention to delete his name from the surveillance register.
Ashutosh Maharaj gained significant attention earlier this year as the primary informant in a sexual assault case filed against 56-year-old Swami Avimukteshwaranand. In February, a special court in Prayagraj ordered the registration of a POCSO Act case against the Swami and others following Maharaj’s application.
The application alleged that two minors were sexually abused during the Magh Mela period of 2025-26 in Prayagraj. Maharaj claimed the victims had disclosed the incidents to him after local police allegedly failed to act on his initial complaints.
However, the legal landscape surrounding that case shifted on March 25, when the Allahabad High Court granted anticipatory bail to Swami Avimukteshwaranand. During those proceedings, the court had questioned the “unusual” conduct of the minor victims, noting that they had purportedly confided in Ashutosh Maharaj rather than their natural guardians.
The state government is now required to file its counter-affidavit explaining the basis for the history sheet before the next date of hearing.
