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Synopsis

A plea has been filed before the Allahabad High Court, Lucknow Bench seeking direction to the government authorities to refrain from disturbing the disciples of Maa Ashutoshmvari from keeping her body in their custody after she allegedly took "Nirvikalp Samadhi" (a deep meditative state resembling death) on January 28, 2024. 

The plea argues that cremating the spiritual guru's body would violate the religious faith and beliefs of millions of her followers worldwide, as they sincerely believe that their Guru is in a state of 'Nirvikalp Samadhi'.

The plea contends that no one should interfere with the Samadhi of the spiritual guru till the time she, on her own, regains consciousness and comes out of Samadhi.

The plea asserts that followers/disciples of the spiritual guru have the fundamental right of belief, faith, and religion and they should not be disturbed as they are not interfering with other faiths or religions.

Her corpus/body has been kept in a locked room of the Aashram. No outsider has access to the room, therefore, there is no conflict with public order, health, or morality, the plea claims.

The spiritual guru was heading an institution namely Parbrahm Saayujva Sharanmemi in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. 

The Secretary of Parbrahm Saayujva Sharanmemi, Jyoti Kumari, being authorized by the general body of the society, has moved the high court through Advocate Shailendra Srivastava by filing a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.

The institution organizes spiritual courses, Sadhana Camps, and Mediation Camps as well as manages Yoga/Mediation Centers, Spiritual Retreats, Aashram, and Institutes.

The spiritual guru was born in 1983 in Bihar. She took sanyas in 2015. She neither had any movable or immovable assets in her name, nor she had any legal heir, the plea states.

The plea contends that the State cannot disrupt the Samadhi of the spiritual guru through its powers or court orders, as it would then be violating the provisions of Article 25 of the Constitution of India.

The plea seeks direction in the nature of mandamus prohibiting the Administration of Lucknow from interfering in the religious beliefs, customs & practices of the petitioner including interference, and disturbance in the keeping of her spiritual guru's body after her Nirvikalp Samadhi. 

The petition also seeks direction to the government authorities to medically investigate the body of the spiritual master. 

Case Title: Parbrahm Saayujva Sharanmemi Through Secretary Jyoti Kumari v. State of UP and Others