Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has rejected a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged irregularities and mismanagement during the Maha Kumbh.
The verdict was delivered on Monday by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhasali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra, dismissing the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Keshar Singh, Yogendra Kumar Pandey, and Kamlesh Singh.
The petitioners, represented by advocate Vijay Chandra Srivastava, argued that the negligence of the fair administration led to severe lapses, including contamination of the Ganga water, inadequate infrastructure, and poor facilities for the massive influx of over 66 crore devotees. They cited reports from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and data on Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) to support their claim that the purity of the river was compromised.
The tragic stampede during Mauni Amavasya, allegedly caused by administrative negligence, was also brought to the court’s attention. Furthermore, they claimed that the drone monitoring system was inactive and the official report on the stampede was never submitted to the government.
The petition named 13 individuals and entities as responsible parties, including DIG Mahakumbh Mela Vaibhav Krishna, IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma, Digital Kumbh Controller, Swami Rambhadracharya of Tulsi Peeth, Peethadheeshwar Dhirendra Shastri of Bageshwar Dham, UP Vidyut Limited, Prayagraj Divisional Commissioner, District Magistrate, SSP Mela, DCP Traffic, Mahakumbh Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand, and the Prayagraj Mela Authority.
The court found the evidence insufficient and dismissed the PIL, stating that the issues raised did not warrant intervention by the central investigative agency.