Fraud, rape, murder, dirty CDs and brothels… the dark world of fake babas

New Delhi: On one hand, science is busy in unraveling the mysteries of Mars and the moon, but many names like Bhole Baba have spread such an illusion in the society that the common people are under its grip. Sermons on God are their outer face, but people rarely realize how dark their hidden side is. In the name of Bhole Baba, let us try to identify those faces who have serious allegations against them. Some are in jail. Let us start with those 14 Babas, who were declared hypocrites by the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad in the year 2014.

Asaram Bapu – Asaram Bapu was very famous in India till a few years ago. People used to worship him/her as an incarnation of God. Asaram’s real name is Asumal Sirumalani Harpalani. Devotees used to call him/her Asaram Bapu with reverence. It was estimated that by the year 2013, he/she had established more than 400 ashrams and 40 schools in India and abroad. There are many serious allegations against him/her. In December 2017, the All India Akhara Parishad declared Asaram a fake baba. Currently, Asaram is facing serious charges of illegal encroachment, rape and tampering with a witness. In 2018, a Jodhpur court found Asaram guilty of raping a minor girl. he/she is currently serving a life sentence in Jodhpur.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim – Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted in a rape case in 2017. On 25 August 2017, a special CBI court found him/her guilty of rape. Subsequently, on 28 August 2017, he/she was sentenced to 20 years in prison. In January 2019, Ram Rahim and three others were convicted of the murder of journalist Ram Chandra Chhatrapati. In this case, the court sentenced Ram Rahim to life imprisonment. A former sadhu accused the Dera of making 400 sadhus impotent. This claim further fuelled the already raging controversy around Gurmeet Singh Ram Rahim.

Radhe Maa – Sukhwinder Kaur alias Radhe Maa was labelled fake due to her lifestyle. Her dressing, makeup, hugging her devotees and saying I love you to them by giving them flowers are some of the things that made her the centre of controversies.

Swami Aseemanand – In 2007, he/she was accused of being involved in three cases including Mecca Masjid blast in Hyderabad and Samjhauta Express blast. he/she also confessed his/her crime in front of police and magistrate. But later he/she was acquitted by the court.

Rampal Baba – Baba Rampal, who calls himself a Kabir Panthi, had several charges against him/her including murder, treason, hostage taking and possession of illegal arms and ammunition. he/she was acquitted in two cases but in 2018, the Hisar court convicted him/her and sentenced him/her to life imprisonment. Baba has been in jail since 2014.

Sachchidananda Giri alias Sachin Dutta – The real name of Sachchidanand Giri is Sachin Dutta. A controversy had erupted over the appointment of Sachin Dutta alias Sachchidanand, a liquor businessman from Noida, Uttar Pradesh, as Mahamandaleshwar of Niranjani Akhara. Giri was given the title of Mahamandaleshwar in Prayag. Sachchidanand also runs a discotheque and real estate business along with a beer bar.

Om Baba alias Vivekanand Jha- Om Baba, who was a participant in a reality show and was beaten up and thrown out of the show, is actually named Vivekanand Jha. There are many criminal cases registered against him/her, including bicycle theft. Om Baba has been in controversies many times for making lewd comments on women and his/her controversial behavior. he/she has also been involved in scuffles many times in public places.

Nirmal Baba alias Nirmaljit Singh – Nirmal Baba, who claims to bring God’s grace to his/her devotees, has been charged with superstition and fraud in the name of religion. It is said that Nirmal Baba, who is worth crores of rupees, has run several businesses including a brick kiln. This person, whose real name is Nirmaljit Singh, has also been accused of giving arbitrary and absurd advice to people.

Ichhadhari Bhimanand alias Shivmurti Dwivedi – Bhimanand Maharaj, who calls himself Ichhadhari Manav, is actually Shivmurti Dwivedi. he/she has been arrested several times for running a sex racket and fraud. Baba has a grand ashram near Ranipur Tiger Reserve in Chitrakoot.

Narayan Sai – he/she is Asaram Bapu’s son. Like his/her father, he/she is convicted in a rape case. he/she is currently in jail.

Acharya Kushmuni – Acharya Kushmuni had once demanded the boycott of Shankaracharyas. he/she has an ashram in Prayagraj.

Brihaspati Giri – Brihaspati Giri, associated with the Alakhnath Trust of Uttar Pradesh, is accused of trying to take over the temples of the Alakhnath Trust through fraud. he/she has also been accused of murdering the former Mahant of the Trust, Dharm Giri.

Apart from these, the names of Om Namah Shivay Baba and Malkan Giri were also included in the list of Babas declared fake by the Akhada Parishad.

Fugitive Baba Nityananda – Swami Nithyananda, a well-known self-proclaimed godman in South India, runs the Nithyananda Dhyandeepam Ashram on the Bangalore-Mysore highway. In 2010, Nithyananda was embroiled in controversy when an alleged sex CD involving him/her and an actress surfaced. The central forensic lab examined the CD and declared it authentic. However, Nithyananda’s ashram produced a report from a US lab which claimed that the CD had been tampered with.

There were a lot of protests against Nityananda on this matter. As a result, he/she was arrested and released on bail a few days later. In 2019, news came about self-proclaimed Baba Nityananda, who is absconding from India after being accused of sexual abuse, that he/she has established his/her own country on an island near Trinidad and Tobago and Ecuador in South America. he/she has named the country Kailasa. Now he/she is also involved in international fraud. Recently, a case of his/her fraud came to light in the South American country Paraguay.

Swami Virtuous – Vinodanand Jha, also known as Swami Sadchari, was once a prominent spiritual guru. he/she started his/her journey by cooking at Chandraswami’s house and went on to become a baba himself. Swami Sadchari gained significant influence, with top leaders of the country seeking his/her advice and performing rituals under his/her guidance. Later, Sadchari was involved in a high profile brokerage case. he/she was also caught running a brothel. he/she had to go to jail in this case.

Swami Vikasananda – Swami Vikasanand whose real name is Vikas Joshi is a self-proclaimed Baba. Baba opened his/her ashram in Jabalpur and established his/her roots as a Baba. In 2006, Swami Vikasanand was arrested on charges of sexually harassing minor girls. Police also recovered pornographic CDs from Baba’s ashram. he/she was sent to jail in 2010 after a trial in a fast track court.

Case filed against Indian-origin Baba in Britain – A case of sexual abuse has been registered in Britain against Indian-origin fraud Baba Rajinder Kalia. Rajinder Kalia, who claims to be God, has been accused of rape by his/her former disciples. It is alleged that he/she has raped his/her disciples at least 1300 times. A case has been filed in the High Court of Britain.