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The Top 14 Fake Babas In India:- Self-styled cult leaders have been creating a sensation in the country. During an insane probe in residence of a godman, Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, several shocking facts have been revealed. Singh is serving 20 years of imprisonment in two rape cases.

A list of 14 ‘fake babas’ has been released by the apex body of Hindu sadhus - the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad. It even demanded a crackdown on “rootless cult leaders” by bringing in a legislation.

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.”

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Giri also wrote a letter to the government to probe the activities of few fake sadhus and requested to arrest them. Gurmeet Singh is one of those fake babas and currently, the investigation is still going on at his Ashram where the police revealed few shocking facts like skeletons inside ashram, plastic money, etc.

A) Asaram Bapu (Asumal Sirumalani)

After a teenage devotee accused him of raping her at a religious event, the 76-year-old self-styled godman was arrested in 2013. Another female follower later also accused him of rape. Since 2013, he has been in jail on charges of rape and criminal intimidation. Despite this, Asaram continues to have thousands of supporters flock to court when he appears for hearings.

The mysterious killings of three witnesses in the criminal cases he faces, has been reported by various local news papers.

B) Radhe Maa (Sukhwinder Kaur)

A resident of Punjab, Sukhwinder Kaur later changed her name to Radhe Maa and moved to Mumbai. Regular religious events are hosted by her at her Radhe Maa Bhawan located in Boriwali.  

Recently, a notice was issued by the Punjab and Haryana high court against a police official asking why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him for failing to act on a complaint against Kaur. A complaint had been lodged against her by a Phagwara-based man. The man sought  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.

C) Sachchidanand Giri (Sachin Datta)

(Image Source: NDTV Khabar)

Sachin Dutta alias Sachidanand Giri is referred to as “Builder Baba” by many. Giri had been declared a proclaimed offender in a case registered with the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police. He was later arrested from his house in Lucknow.  

A fraud case had been registered against Datta and seven others in 2015, 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.

D) Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh

After being convicted of raping two female followers, Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was recently sentenced to 20 years’ jail. When he was convicted, hundreds of his followers went on the rampage, thus 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 detected during the search operations at his Dera headquarters.

E) Ichchadhari Bhimanand (Shivmurti Dwivedi)

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In 2010, Shivmurti Dwivedi was arrested for allegedly running a sex racket. Under Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act, Dwivedi, alias Icchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakoot, was booked. “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.

F) Narayan Sai

Asaram’s son Narayan Sai (40) is in jail for allegedly raping a Surat-based woman. The woman was a disciple of his father between 2002 and 2005. She was allegedly raped when she was living at Asaram’s ashram in Surat. Sai is also accused of having physical relations with eight other girls.

G) Rampal

The police discovered five bodies after they stormed the ashram of a self-styled godman, Rampal, in Haryana’s Hisar in November 2014. Another of the man’s followers died in hospital. After Rampal refused court orders to appear to answer charges including conspiracy to murder, inciting mobs and contempt of court, the police were seeking his arrest. He considers himself an incarnation of the 15th-century poet Kabir.

For several days, the ashram was guarded by hundreds of followers. 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.

H) Acharya Kushmuni

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Acharya Kushmuni Swarup is a national spokesperson of  Akhil Bhartiya Dandi Sanyasi Prabudh Samiti. 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.

I) Swami Aseemanand

(Image Source: The Hindu)

A right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand was recently acquitted along with six others in the 2007 Ajmer blast case by a special court. Judge Dinesh Gupta let off Swami Aseemanand and six others giving them “benefit of doubt”.

J) Brahaspati Giri

Giri allegedly tried to gain control of temples of Alkhnath Trust in Uttar Pradesh.

K) Nirmal Baba (Nirmaljeet Singh)

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Nirmaljeet Singh Narula, better known as Nirmal Baba, is a resident of Jharkhand. He has appeared on television as part of his show, ‘Third Eye of Nirmal Baba’, and through the controversy surrounding the donations and the charging of admission fees (Rs. 2,000 per person) to his ‘darbar’ sessions, this godman rose to fame.  

He even has an app on Facebook called ‘Live Darshan 24/7’. A polarizing figure, Nirmal Baba has ardent devotees and vocal doubters.

L) Swami Omji (Vinodanand Jha)

On a complaint by his younger brother Pramodh Jha, an FIR was registered against Vinodanand Jha aka Swami Omji in November 2008. The self styled godman is accused 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.

He also faces charges under the Arms Act, Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act in other matters.

The other two babas on the list are :

- Om Namah Shivay Baba

- Malkhan Singh

SUPRAJA