Supreme Court orders SIT probe into illegal sale of land belonging to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi-founded society

The Supreme Court has ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged illegal sale of properties belonging to the Spiritual Regeneration Movement Foundation of India, a society founded under the guidance of spiritual leader Maharishi Mahesh Yogi [Shrikant Ojha v State of UP & Ors]..A Bench of Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice Atul S Chandurkar observed that several FIRs had already been registered over allegations that society land was being sold without permission, defeating the purpose for which the society had been established.The Court opined that an SIT probe was necessary for an unimpaired and unobstructed investigation and to protect society’s properties..The Bench was hearing an appeal filed by one Shrikant Ojha (complainant) challenging an Allahabad High Court interim order that restrained the police from filing a chargesheet against one of the accused in connection with the alleged illegal sale of society land..The dispute traces back to the period after Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s death, when two groups within the society began claiming control over its management and properties. One faction alleged that members of the rival group were illegally selling society land using forged documents, leading to multiple FIRs and civil disputes across several States.An FIR was registered at Noida Sector 39 police station alleging that society land was illegally sold using forged documents to a private company by G Ram Chandramohan, Akash Malviya and Pradip Singh. Another accused in the case (Raghvendra Pratap Singh), who is also a director of the company, later approached the Allahabad High Court seeking quashing of the FIR.While allowing the investigation to continue, the High Court restrained the police from filing the chargesheet and stayed the accused’s arrest.The complainant subsequently moved the Supreme Court, challenging the High Court’s interim order..The Supreme Court termed the High Court’s direction restraining filing of the chargesheet as wholly unjustified and set aside the order. It directed the investigating officer to complete the probe and file the police report in accordance with the law.The Court also ordered the SIT to conduct a fact-finding inquiry into lands allegedly sold by persons other than the original office bearers of the society and submit its report within three months.It further directed that no coercive action shall be taken against the accused till the SIT submits its report and the investigation is completed, while directing all accused persons to cooperate with the probe.The Court added that the society had been established for public welfare and not for internal factions to fight and commercially exploit its properties after Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s death."Spiritual Regeneration Movement Foundation of India was registered as a society for the development of the society at large. After the death of its founder, it was not intended by him that the friction within groups shall lead to fights and the property which was quite valuable, shall be sold for their own interest contrary to the purpose and object. It was also not intended by him that despite pendency of litigation on civil and criminal side, the office bearers of the society shall not have any fear and will continuously involve in selling the property. In our view, the SIT shall look into all aspects and take a holistic view and submit its report, thereby further action of forgery and cheating, if any, be stopped," the May 12 judgment reads.The Bench clarified that it was not expressing any opinion on the merits of the allegations since the appeal arose from an interim order of the High Court. The appeal was accordingly disposed of. Advocate Hemant Shah with advocates Molly Aggarwal, Nitin Saluja, Vasudha Singh, Pranya Madan, Ashutosh Kumar represented the petitioner.Advocate Vijendra Singh, with advocates Sanjay Kumar Dubey and Rajesh Pathak, appeared for the respondent..[Read Judgment]