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Apex court rejects petition against Aurobindo Ashram trustees

Legal Correspondent

SLP alleged that revised fourth edition of `Savitri' was tampered with

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has upheld a Calcutta High Court judgment quashing criminal proceedings against the trustees of the Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, for allegedly bringing about changes in the revised fourth edition of Sri Aurobindo's `Savitri.'

After hearing senior counsel Ashok Desai, a Bench comprising Justices B.N. Agrawal and Arun Kumar dismissed the special leave petition (SLP) filed by 90-year-old Anil Ghose, Sri Aurobindo's nephew.

Research carried out

Mr. Desai said that after several years of research, verification and checking of the text against the manuscripts and unauthentic readings in the earlier editions, corrections were made. He drew attention to the earlier unsuccessful attempts made on the issue before the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court.

In his complaint before a magistrate court in Kolkata, Mr. Ghose said the trustees had committed criminal offences, tampering with Sri Aurobindo's writings and printing, publishing and selling such a version as original.

The trial court framed charges against the accused. On their revision petition, the High Court quashed the charges in July 2004. The SLP is directed against this judgment.

The ashram said the complaint was filed to malign it and its trustees, who were doing voluntary service.

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