Two years on: 'Baba' Ashutosh Maharaj: Twists and turns, one after another
HT Correspondent
Hindustan Times
January 29, 2014: Reports of Ashutosh's death do the rounds
January 30: Dera claims he has entered 'samadhi' (state of deep meditation); security beefed up on dera premises
February 3: Dera representatives admit Ashutosh's body has been kept in a freezer (portable mortuary) but insist that he is in 'samadhi'; acting on a PIL filed by his former driver, Puran Singh, Punjab and Haryana high court directs Punjab govt to submit a report pertaining to Ashutosh by February 5
February 5: Punjab Police submit report in high court that Ashutosh is "clinically dead". Report prepared by Dr Harpal Singh Nadda, Dr Kartar Kaur and Dr Ashok submitted with affidavit
February 7: Bihar native Dalip Jha claims Ashutosh was his father; demands that the body be handed over family
February 10: Puran Singh moves high court again, seeking the body's examination by a team of doctors from PGIMER, Chandigarh; later, through another petition, he demands CBI probe into the case
May 18: Dalip Jha demands high-level probe, alleging that his father was murdered by some dera representatives
October 29: After hearing the case, justice MMS Bedi reserves judgment
December 1: HC directs state govt to conduct Ashutosh's last rites in 15 days
December 16: Court stays single-judge bench's decision
2015
September 30, 2015: Court verbally asks sect, state govt to settle the issue amicably
2016
February 24, 2016: Next hearing in the case.