The Supreme Court granted bail to Aadya Prasad Tiwari, accused in the murder case of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad chief Mahant Narendra Giri in 2021. The Supreme Court noted that the trial is likely to take time to complete.
Giri, the president of the largest organization of saints in India, was found hanging at Baghambari Math in Allahabad on 20 September 2021. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in its chargesheet filed in November 2021 had said that Giri had suffered so much “mental anguish” from his estranged disciple Anand Giri, priest Aadya Prasad Tiwari and his son Sandeep Tiwari that he sacrificed his life to avoid being humiliated in the society.
On Monday, a bench of Justice Dipankar Dutta and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma granted bail to Aadya Prasad Tiwari, canceling the order of Allahabad Court dated October 14, 2025, in which her bail plea was rejected. The bench noted that the CBI had said it would interrogate 150 witnesses, but so far only three have been interrogated. The Supreme Court said that the case is not likely to end in the near future.
The bench said, ‘Thus, it is clear that the trial will take time to complete. Anyway, the appellant does not appear to be the main accused. Keeping this in mind, we are of the view that it is not necessary to keep the appellant in further custody till the hearing of the case.
The court said, ‘Thus, the appeal is acceptable and bail may be ordered to be granted to the appellant.’ The Supreme Court gave this order by canceling the decision of the High Court. The bench said that the appellant is in custody since September 22, 2021 and it is not necessary to keep him in custody till the hearing of the case. The Court also said that on the basis of record, the Appellant does not appear to be the “prime accused” in the case.
The FIR in the matter was registered on 21 September 2021 at George Town police station in Prayagraj district. Tiwari was initially arrested under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 306 (abetment of suicide), but charges of murder (section 302) and criminal conspiracy (section 120) were added in the subsequent chargesheet filed on 18 November 2021.
While accepting the plea, the bench cautioned the appellant against luring, threatening or making promises to any witness. The bench directed Tiwari to remain present with full devotion in all the proceedings of the case, unless specifically exempted. The bench gave the lower court the right to cancel the bail if any condition is violated.
During the investigation, CBI found a video of Mahant, which was recorded before the alleged suicide. In the video, Mahant had claimed that Anand Giri was about to release an edited video in which he would be shown in an objectionable position with a woman. In the chargesheet, Anand Giri, Aadya Prasad Tiwari, priest of Bade Hanuman Temple in Allahabad, and Sandeep Tiwari have been accused of abetment of suicide and criminal conspiracy.
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