Mahesh Grover, J.

By this common order we propose to dispose of L.P.A. Nos.2043, 2044, 2052 of 2014 and 224 of 2015 as they hover around the same controversy raised by the appellants. All of them arise from a common judgment dated 1.12.2014 of the learned Single Judge passed in C.W.P. No.7345 of 2014 which is the order impugned herein. L.P.A. No.2043 of 2014 has been preferred by Dalip Kumar Jha who was also the writ petitioner in C.W.P. No.7345 of 2014. The Divya Jyoti Sansthan (hereinafter referred to as the Sansthan) has filed L.P.A. No. 2044 of 2014, while the State, equally aggrieved of the judgment of the learned Single Judge, has filed L.P.A. No.2052 of 2014, while Sadhvi Tapeshwari Bharti a follower has filed L.P.A. No.224 of 2015.

2. We need not set out the facts of the petition and the counter replies submitted by the contestants to the controversy in detail, as they have been elaborately set out in the impugned judgment, but for the purpose of forming a complete narrative of the present order, we would briefly touch upon the factual aspects so that it offers an understanding of the controversy that we have embarked upon to answer.

3. A religious preacher by the name of Ashutosh Ji Maharaj, Head of the Divya Jyoti Sansthan (hereinafter referred as the Sansthan) is at the centre of the dispute, after he proclaimed himself to be in a 'state' of Samadhi, with a declaration to return to the world of mortals (though he has not reverted to state of consciousness thereafter) with his followers, in unimpeachable belief of this fact and preserving the body though declared to be clinically dead by a medical board.

4. Dalip Kumar Jha claims that Ashutosh Ji Maharaj was his father who expired on the intervening night of 28/29th January, 2014 and he would as his biological son, be entitled to perform his last rites and thus prays his body be handed over to him for the purpose.

5. Against this i.e. the Sansthan claims that Ashutosh Ji Maharaj is not dead and has rather taken Samadhi and is expected to return after fulfillment of his spiritual mission. The Sansthan thus resists the petition of Dalip Kumar Jha as also all attempts to dispose off the body by those who presume him to be dead.

6. The State in turn, supports the Sansthan to the extent that they (Sansthan) cannot be forced to dispose off the body of Ashutosh Ji Maharaj and similarly, it (State) cannot be directed to do so against the wishes of the Sansthan in violation of their belief, of the Maharaj being in Samadhi.

7. Prior to the filing of C.W.P. No. 7345 of 2014 by Dalip Kumar Jha and Criminal Misc. No.M-9195 of 2014 by Puran Singh (Driver of Ashutosh Ji Maharaj), a number of petitions were filed similarly where interference was declined by this Court holding that no public interest is involved. Some of those writ petitions and Criminal Misc. petitions may be noticed here below :-

Sr.No.	Case No.	Petitioner	Prayer	Date of Order
1.	Cr.W.P.-169/2014	Puran Singh	Habeas Corpus	11.2.2014 Dismissed.
2.	CWP 3393 of 2014 (PIL)	Mohinder Pal Singh	Praying for issuance of a writ in the nature of Mandamus directing the Respondent No.1(State of Punjab) to immediately take over the entire property (Movable & immovable) and assets belonging to dera namely Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan.	24.2.2014 Dismissed as withdrawn. The Bench made it clear that on this subject matter no Public Interest Litigation would be entertained as no public funds are involved.
3.	Cr.M-M-6808 of 2014	Puran Singh	Seeking direction for conducting autopsy	24.4.2014 Dismissed as withdrawn with liberty to seek alternative remedy.
4.	CWP 5792 of 2014 (O&M)	Gurmail Singh	The petitioner was desirous of knowing how Shri Ashutosh Ji Maharaj has gone into Samadhi. The petitioner is of the view that