Swami Avdheshanand Giri of Juna Akhara demands CBI investigation in Palghar lynching incident

Haridwar (Uttarakhand) [India], Aug 21 : A day after the Supreme Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case, Swami Avdheshanand Giri of Juna Akhara on Thursday demanded CBI investigation into the Palghar mob lynching incident in which two 'sadhus' (saints) and their driver were beaten to death.
"There has been no action over killing of 'sadhus' in Palghar. Mob killed the innocent sadhus with barbarity in front of the police. There is anger as justice has not been served. Like the Sushant Singh Rajput case, CBI must probe it. This is what religious groups and devotees want. The probe should be handed over to CBI," Giri told ANI.
"Many religious organisations have demanded CBI investigation into the case. Saint communities across the world demanding justice for departed souls," he added.
Earlier in the day, Giri tweeted, "The call of millions of saints and the religious people of the country is that the CBI should impartially investigate the killing of saints in Palghar. The country wants justice."
Yoga guru Ramdev joined him demanding CBI investigation in the Plaghar mob lynching incident and said (in reply to Giri's tweet), "Saint society wants CBI investigation immediately. The people of the entire country want immediate justice on the brutal murder of innocent innocent saints."
While hearing several petitions seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Palghar mob lynching incident and registration of FIR against police officials for their alleged failure to prevent the mob from gathering in violation of the lockdown norms, the Supreme Court had on August 6 asked the Maharashtra government to bring on record the charge sheet and details of the inquiry against police officials in connection with the incident.
The advocate appearing for one of the petitioners -- Juna Akhara told the court that sadhus were virtually handed over to the mob. "It was a massacre," the advocate said.
The public interest litigations (PILs) in the matter are seeking a CBI or a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe in the incident that took place in Palghar district on April 16 this year.
On the night of April 16, the two sadhus and their driver were travelling from Kandivali in Mumbai to attend a funeral in Gujarat's Surat amid the nationwide lockdown when their vehicle was stopped and they were attacked and killed by a mob in Gadchinchile village in the presence of police officers.