Special secretary appoints investigation officer for alleged ritual initiation of PP in Almora jail
Monday, 09 SEPTEMBER 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Special secretary Riddhim Aggarwal has appointed additional inspector general Yashwant Chauhan as the investigating officer for the case concerning the alleged ritual initiation of notorious criminal Prakash Pandey, also known as PP, inside the Almora jail. The incident involves certain individuals within the prison bestowing a Mahant title upon Pandey purportedly after his ritual initiation. She has instructed Chauhan to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and to submit a detailed report to the State government within one week. The investigation aims to clarify the circumstances surrounding the initiation ceremony and ensure appropriate actions are taken in accordance with the findings. It was reported that two ascetics, along with a mediator between a notorious gangster and the ascetic community, reportedly entered the jail premises to conduct a ‘Diksha’ ceremony on September 5. During the ritual, Pandey was presented with a Rudraksha Mala and a sacred beads necklace, while Vedic chants were whispered in his ears. The ascetic fraternity has also objected to this with the Akhada Parishad also directing its members to conduct a probe into the circumstances of the case.
It is pertinent to mention here that PP began his criminal journey in 1994 by associating with Chhota Rajan’s associates, Farid Tanasha and Vicky Malhotra. His first murder was in 1995, targeting a local leader. PP is also reported to have travelled to Karachi in 1998 and 2000 in attempts to target Dawood Ibrahim.
