Chandigarh, July 5: The Punjab and Haryana high court would pronounce its final judgment on the controversy surrounding cremation and other last rites of Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan (DJJS) head, Ashutosh on Wednesday.
The clinically dead sect head is lying in a deep freezer since January 28, 2014, at the DJJS headquarters in Nurmahal, Jalandhar.
On December 1, 2014, a single-judge bench had ordered last rites of Ashutosh but subsequently on the pleas against it a division bench stayed operation of the decision. Punjab, DJJS and Ashutosh’s purported son, Dalip Kumar Jha, all are in appeal against single judge order. While the DJJS wants to preserve the body, claiming that he was in a “samadhi”, Punjab says it can’t interfere with religious beliefs and Jha is laying claim on the body for cremation. All the petitions were reserved for final order on May 9.
TIMELINE
January 28, 2014: Ashutosh declared clinically dead
March 14, 2014: Petition in HC alleging foul play in death by a support staff member. Subsequently purported son too approaches court
December 1, 2014: HC asks government to carry out cremation of Ashutosh.
December 15, 2014: On appeals of Punjab, DJJS and Jha, HC division bench stays operation of a single-judge order
December 17, 2016: HC fines DJJS with Rs 2 lakh for causing delay in disposal of matter
May 9, 2017: HC reserves petitions for final order
News Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com
