A wealthy religious leader, Shri Ashutosh Maharaj, who resides in the Punjab city of Jalandhar, will be pronounced dead or alive by the Punjab High Court.

Doctors had already declared him dead from a heart attack in January. His wife and son agree, and are trying to get possession of his body for cremation. However, the follower of his religious order, Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan, have declared him to be in a state of meditation that makes him one with the universe or Samadhi.

Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan aims “to usher into a world wherein every individual becomes an embodiment of truth, fraternity, and justice through the eternal science of self-realization – ‘Brahm Gyan’, uprooting in its wake all social evils and threat.”

The Punjab Police have also confirmed the death, but the High Court ruled that the dispute was a spiritual matter.

His followers have taken the guru’s body and frozen it at their ashram for when he awakens. The Telegraph reported that his son, Dilip Jha, believes the followers are attempting to maintain control over finances through their claims.

The site’s official statement is:

His Holiness Shri Ashutosh Maharaj ji has been in deep meditative state (Samadhi) since 29th January 2014. Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan appreciates innumerous individuals and organisations for re-affirming their commitment to the organisation through phone calls, emails, messages and personal visits. The sansthan acknowledges your pledge to stand by the organisation under all circumstances.

The court’s decision will impact the $170 million estate of the “late-“guru, which will transfer into a charitable trust if the court finds him to indeed be dead as he has not left a will. He will remain in the freezer, where he was transferred when, according to Sadhwi Jaya Bharti, “some changes were noticed in his skin (it became greenish).”

What do you think? Should his body be kept frozen or returned to his family? 

[Image Attribute: DJJS Site]