Uttarakhand: Almora Jail Superintendent Clarifies Over 'Initiation' Of Underworld Don Prakash Pandey Alias PP Into Juna Akhara

In a statement issued in this regard, Almora District Jail Superintendent Jayant Pangti denied over "rituals" performed at the jail during what is being alleged as the "initiation" of underworld don Prakash Pandey alias PP as a mahant of Juna Akhara earlier this month. The Uttarakhand government has already ordered a probe into the episode.

Almora (Uttarkhand): After the Uttarakhand government ordered a probe into underworld don Prakash Pandey being baptized as a 'mahant' at the District Jail Almora, the Jail Superintendent has refuted claims over 'rituals' at the jail.

In a statement issued in this regard, Almora District Jail Superintendent Jayant Pangti said that on September 5, at around 2 pm, many visitors approached the jail authorities to meet the prisoner Prakash Pandey alias PP.

“The visitors were informed that only three visitors can meet the prisoner, that too, if the prisoner agrees to meet them. Three persons got themselves registered to meet the prisoner Prakash Pandey alias PP son of Laxmi Dutt Pandey. Prisoner Prakash Pandey alias PP also gave consent to meet the said three persons. The meeting of the said three persons was conducted under the supervision of prison security personnel. No rituals etc. were performed during the meeting,” Jail Superintendent said in the statement.

The Superintendent said that prior to the meeting, on 4 September, one Nitin Joshi, son of Prakash Chandra Joshi, a resident of House No. 34, West Kheda, Gaulapar Kheda in Tehsil Haldwani, District-Nainital, had sought permission to conduct a partial ritual on 5 September 2024 to admit prisoner Prakash Pandey alias PP in Dasnath Juna Akhara.

“Following the request for permission, he was clearly informed in writing that as per rules, permission to conduct the said ritual on 5 September 2024 cannot be granted to him in District Jail Almora,” Jail Superintendent Jayant Pangti said.

The clarification by the Jail Superintendent comes close to the heels of the probe ordered by the Uttarakhand government over Pandey being made the 'Mahant' of the Juna Akhara. Pandey, as per reports, was given ‘diksha’ by two sadhus inside the jail on September 5 who also gave Pandey a new name 'Prakashanand Giri'.

Special Secretary (Home) Riddhim Agarwal has nominated Additional Inspector General, Prison Administration, Yashwant Chauhan as the investigating officer to probe the case and submit the report within a week.

Underworld don Prakash Pandey alias PP is involved in several cases including murder, robbery and ransom. PP, who worked with Chhota Rajan, had reached Karachi twice to kill Dawood Ibrahim.