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NEW DELHI, INDIA, September 15, 2003: Swami Gyan Prakash, through his lawyer Amit Khemka, accused the Maharashtra Government of falsely charging him and other innocent saints as the main culprits behind the deadly stampede at Nashik on August 27, 2003 during the Kumbha Mela. Speaking at a Press conference at Press Club of India on Friday, Mr Khemka said that “The management of Kumbha Mela is a big affair, and Maharashtra Government was totally responsible for it.” He said that Swami Gyan Prakash, the head of Nirvani Akhara was allotted a time between 10 am to 12.00 noon. Swami along with his group started for the shahi snan (bath) and took the holy dip as per the scheduled time allotted to him and other sadhus. The lawyer also said that it was alleged that a jeep came from opposite of the crowd and a sadhu threw silver coins towards the mob. He said Swamiji, being a follower of Lord Jagannath, (apparently on the coins) never even in his dreams could imagine to throw these coins on the ground.Twenty-seven other sadhus have also been implicated in this case. He said to accommodate a VIP vehicle, the police tried to disperse the mob through a lathi charge, which resulted in a stampede.

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