Mahant named Balbeer as successor in his last will, says lawyer

The second will was made by Mahant Narendra Giri on August 29, 2011. He declared his disciple Anand Giri as his successor, said the lawyer

PRAYAGRAJ: Even as all eyes were on the Shri Panchayati Akhada Niranjani for the appointment of the next mahant of Baghambari Gaddi Math and Bade Hanuman Mandir in Prayagraj, the lawyer of late Narendra Giri claimed that the Mahant had made three wills in the capacity of the head of the math.

Cancelling both the earlier wills, the late Mahant made his third and last will on June 4, 2020, in which he again nominated Balbeer Giri as his successor, said advocate Dwivedi (File Photo)

“The first will was made by the late Mahant on January 7, 2010. In this, he had mentioned his disciple Balbeer Giri as his successor. However, he got the will changed in 2011, after I became his lawyer,” said Rishi Shankar Dwivedi, Mahant’s advocate.

The second will was made by Mahant Narendra Giri on August 29, 2011. He declared his disciple Anand Giri as his successor, added the lawyer, a resident of Allahpur locality of Prayagraj.

At that time, yoga guru Anand Giri was very close to Mahant Narendra Giri and managed most of the affairs of the Bade Hanuman temple and the Math in his absence.

However, cancelling both the earlier wills, the late Mahant made his third and last will on June 4, 2020, in which he again nominated Balbeer Giri as his successor, said advocate Dwivedi.

The lawyer said Narendra Giri had called him around 12.45pm on the fateful day (September 20) and said he wanted to discuss something very important, but did not disclose the issue over the phone.

“The will dated June 4, 2020 was signed by Narendra Giri in my presence and that is his last will, which is registered,” said Man Singh, a lawyer of the lower court and one of the two witnesses to Narendra Giri’s last will.

The second witness of the will is another lawyer of the city, RK Upadhyay.

In the purported suicide note recovered from the room of the Baghambari Gaddi Math where Narendra Giri’s body was found also mentioned Balbeer Giri as his successor. A video recording found by the police in the late Mahant’s mobile phone was also said to reiterate the content of the suicide note, including naming Balbeer Giri as his successor.

However, many senior seers including Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of Shri Panchayati Akhada Niranjani Kailashanad Giri dubbed the purported suicide note as fake and maintained that the Niranjani Akhada would be taking the final call on Mahant Narendra Giri’s successor.

Significantly, the appointment of the successor at Baghamabri Gaddi Math had always been made on the basis of the will left by the preceding head, informed a senior seer of the Akhada. He said even Mahant Narendra Giri was appointed the head of Baghambari Gaddi on the basis of the will left behind by his predecessor.