Fake Babas
The “Akhil
Bharatiya Akhara Parishad” has released a list of 14 ‘fake babas’ and demanded
a crackdown on “rootless cult leaders” by bringing in a legislation.
Prompted by recent controversies surrounding self-styled godmen,
the apex body of Hindu sadhus -- the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad – has released a list of 14 ‘fake babas’ and demanded a crackdown on “rootless
cult leaders” by bringing in a legislation.
Giving out the list, the parishad’s president Swami Narendra
Giri said: “We appeal to even the common people to beware of such charlatans
who belong to no tradition and by their questionable acts, bring disrepute to
sadhus and sanyasis.”
Here are the 14 fake babas on the parishad’s list:
Asaram Bapu (Asumal Sirumalani)
The 76-year-old white-bearded man was arrested in 2013 after a
teenage devotee accused him of raping her at a religious event. Another female
follower later also accused him of rape. He has been in jail since 2013 on charges of rape and criminal
intimidation. Yet Asaram continues to have thousands of
supporters flock to court when he appears for hearings.
Several local newspapers have reported on the mysterious
killings of three witnesses in the criminal cases he faces.
Radhe Maa (Sukhwinder Kaur)
A Punjab resident, Sukhwinder Kaur later changed her name to Radhe Maa
and moved to Mumbai. She hosts regular religious events at her Radhe Maa Bhawan
located in Borivali. The Punjab and Haryana high court recently issued a notice against a
police official asking why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against
him for failing to act on a complaint against Kaur.
A Phagwara-based man had lodged a complaint against her, seeking
registration of a case in 2015 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments,
threatening and other offences under the IPC.
Last year, Mumbai resident Niki Gupta filed a complaint,
accusing Kaur of instigating her in-laws against her for dowry.
Sachchidanand Giri (Sachin Datta)
He is called ‘Builder Baba’ by many. Sachin Dutta alias
Sachidanand Giri had been declared a proclaimed offender in a case registered
with the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police and was later arresioted
from his house in Lucknow
In 2015, a case of fraud had been registered at Sector 58, Noida
against Dutta and seven others for allegedly mortgaging sold flats in an
Indirapuram housing society to obtain bank loans. The case was subsequently
transferred to the Indirapuram police station and the accused declared a
proclaimed offender.
Gurmeet Singh
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Singh, known as the guru of bling
for the bejeweled costumes he wears in self-produced films, was recently sentenced to 20 years’ jail after being convicted of raping two
female followers. Hundreds of his followers went on the rampage when he was
convicted, attacking train stations, buses and television vans.
Secret tunnels, including one which linked the jailed sect chief
plush residence with female disciples’ hostel, an empty box of AK-47
cartridges, an illegal firecracker factory were among the detections made
during a search at his sect headquarters.
Swami Omji (Vinodanand Jha)
In November 2008, an FIR was registered against Vinodanand Jha
aka Swami Omji on a complaint by his younger brother Pramodh Jha, who accused
him of breaking the lock of his bicycle shop in Lodhi Colony along with three
men and stealing 11 bicycles, expensive spare parts, sale deed of the house and
important documents.
The self-proclaimed godman also faces charges under the Arms
Act, Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act in other matters.
Nirmal Baba (Nirmaljeet Singh)
Nirmaljeet Singh Narula, better known as Nirmal Baba, has
appeared on television as part of his show, ‘Third Eye of Nirmal Baba’. This
Jharkhand-raised self-styled godman shot to fame through the controversy
surrounding the donations and the charging of admission fees (Rs. 2,000 per
person) to his ‘darbar’ sessions. He is estimated to be worth hundreds of
crores and has a huge following despite dispensing advice bordering on the
absurd. He even has an app on Facebook called ‘Live Darshan 24/7’. A polarising
figure, Nirmal Baba has ardent devotees and vocal doubters.
Ichchadhari Bhimanand (Shivmurti Dwivedi)
Shivmurti Dwivedi was arrested in 2010 for allegedly running a
sex racket. Dwivedi, alias Icchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj
Chitrakoot, was booked under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. “He
has political ambitions. He did not want to join politics now but was gaining
ground steadily. He wanted to use his followers as his vote bank,” a senior
police officer had said after his arrest.
Swami Aseemanand
Right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand was recently acquitted
along with six others in the 2007 Ajmer
Narayan Sai
Asaram’s son Narayan Sai is in jail for allegedly raping a
Surat-based woman disciple of his father between 2002 and 2005. She was
allegedly raped when she was living at Asaram’s ashram in Surat
Rampal
In November 2014, five bodies were discovered by the police
after they stormed the ashram of a self-styled godman, Rampal, in Haryana’s
Hisar. Another of the man’s followers died in hospital. The police were seeking
Rampal’s arrest after he refused court orders to appear to answer charges
including conspiracy to murder, inciting mobs and contempt of court.
Rampal considers himself an incarnation of the 15th-century poet
Kabir.
The ashram was guarded by hundreds of followers for several
days. Police fired water cannon and lathi-charged the supporters who were armed
with stones, petrol bombs among other weapons.
Some followers later came out of the ashram, saying they had
been held at the ashram against their will.
Acharya Kushmuni
Acharya Kushmuni Swarup is national spokesperson Akhil Bhartiya
Dandi Sanyasi Prabudh Samiti. After the list of fake babas, Kushmuni alleged
most of the people in the akhada had criminal cases against them. He has in the
past called for fake babas to be reprimanded.
Brahaspati Giri
Giri allegedly tried to gain control of temples of Alkhnath
Trust in Uttar Pradesh.
The other two babas on the list are Om Namah Shivay Baba and Malkhan Singh.
Article
published in
HT Correspondent Hindustan Times, New Delhi 11/09/2017 .
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