The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday asked Punjab, Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan and other parties concerned to sit together and find an amicable solution on Ashutosh Maharaj’s cremation. The body of the spiritual leader has been kept in a refrigerator in his Ashram in Nurmahal, Jalandhar for last 17 months.
As the case related to the cremation of Ashutosh Maharaj came up for resumed hearing, the High Court extending the stay till November 30, asked all the parties to reach a consensus on the issue. While the Sansthan is claiming that he is in a Samadhi (deep meditation), his self proclaimed son Daleep Jha has been seeking his funeral rights. During the resumed hearing, High Court made it clear that the State would help maintain law and order if the Sansthan cremates the body of Ashutosh Maharaj. The court also said that issue related to the property rights of his son can be dealt separately and he should not have much objection if the last rites are performed by the Sansthan.
The High Court had earlier observed that failure to cremate the body meant showing disrespect to it and this could lead to a situation where people would start keeping their dead in refrigerators.
