The darker side of a self proclaimed ‘˜Godman’

Seems the trouble for Asaram bapu is nowhere near the end. His key aid, Shiva, is now under police custody and has confessed involvement in Asaram’s crime. He is even reported to tell police that he will provide a CD as a proof to them.

Shiva reportedly told Jodhpur police that the baba, 72, used to meet women alone in his cottage which he had named “Dhyaan ki kutia” (Meditation cottage).  No one was allowed into the cottage, and Asaram reportedly used to show sleazy CDs to lonely women to arouse them, Shiva reportedly told police.

Investigators said Shiva was very close to Asaram. It was he who was tasked to bring the girl and her parents from the railway station to the cottage. Shiva told police, he didn’t go to the station himself, but advised the parents to take an auto from the station to reach the cottage.

Shiva’s revelation also somewhat backs the claim made by Amrut Prajapati, who worked as a technical officer of the Ayurvedic division at Motera ashram for 12 long years, but later resigned to start practice at his own clinic at Odhav as an Ayurvedic doctor.

As per Prajapati, Asaram has built three ashrams all over India for women, who are like his “keeps”.

“One day, I was allowed to see him (Asaram) inside his private room, as he was severely ill. Since the guards knew me well, I went straight to his room and found Asaram in a compromising position with a 25-year-old girl, who used to stay in the ashram. This was the turning point for me,” said Prajapati.

His encounter with troubles began in 2008, when Asaram faced allegations of ‘black magic’ practice after the death of two young boys in his Motera ashram in Gujarat. Deepesh and Abhishek had gone missing from the ashram on July 3, 2008 and two days later on July 5, 2008, they were found dead outside the ashram.

Since 2008, he has remained in news for all wrong reasons, be it criminal cases against him or his ‘futile’ remarks on Delhi gang-rape case.

He made a controversial remark after the Delhi gang-rape in December last year by saying that the victim was also to be blamed for the incident and that she should have begged the culprits to stop by calling them brother. However, after facing criticism over his remark, he later claimed that his statement was misread.

A few months back, Asaram’s picture with a girl sitting in his lap was widely published on the internet.

Asaram is also suspected to be in a physical relation with a hostel warden, Shilpi, from his ashram in Chhindwara. Shilpi is on the run. She is suspected to be involved in the alleged misguidance of women and girls and sending them to Asaram Bapu late at night for personal healing sessions. She was supposedly given two flats in return of her favours.

Jodhpur police is trying to find out the names of other drop-out Class 12 girl students from Asaram’s gurkuls in Chhindwara and other places, who had either left or had committed suicide.

In spite of being surrounded with controversies, the self-styled Godman enjoys the support of thousands of people who have been insistently protesting his arrest in the recent sexual assault case.