sadhu crime

Babri Mazad and Gujarat riots are not the only incidents which establish a nexus between crime and religion.

Have you ever imagined that the Sadhu or saint you always looked up to, might being a criminal?  Probably not !  but you are wrong on this, many of our religious protagonists have been caught by law for committing heinous crimes like rapes, child slaughter, murders and frauds.  In November 2009 two sadhus Ramcharan Rathod and Balram Patel were arrested in Junagarh for kidnapping fourteen year old boy.

Recently police exposed a multimillion pound prostitution racket in south Delhi. The police suspects a Hindu Swami (Shiv Myra Dwivedi) used his temple to provide as many as 200 prostitutes. The prostitutes also included air hostesses and students. They solicited for clients in five star hotels. He claimed to have more than 100,000 followers including leading politicians. He was arrested by undercover officers. It is suspected that the accused had connections in other states like Uttar Pradesh Charges of MCOCA are levied against him i.e. he will be prosecuted for organised crime of prostitution.

In September 2009, the police had arrested a sadhu in Alandi (near Pune). He owned an ashram in which children come from different parts of Maharashtra to learn music and other skills. The ashram had residential facilities and at the time of his arrest 20 students were enrolled in the same. The police said “He used to lure them to his room in the ashram on the pretext of massaging his arms and legs and then performed unnatural sexual acts with them. The incident came into light when a thirteen year old boy told about the incidents to his parents.” Subsequently five more boys turned up with the same grievances. The Sadhu was charged under Section 377(unnatural offences) and Section 506(criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

Sadhu Santosh Madhavan was jailed in Kerela for 16 years for raping and illegally confining two young girls from an orphanage that he ran. Police had also found pornographic material and drugs in his ashram.

Spiritual Guru Asaram Bapu and two of his disciples were charged with attempt to murder. Raju Chandak, the victim suffered three bullet injuries. He had alleged that mysterious deaths of two boys – Dipesh Weghela and Abhishek Waghela who were studying in a residential school  which was in the premises of Asaram’s ashram was due to the activities performed in the ashram. It was contended by media that black magic acts were performed in the ashram. These are not the only illegal activities carried out in the premises of the ashram. The police has charged him under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Arms Act.

These are not the only cases of fraud, abduction, murders, rapes that have been associated with these god men. The strength of these protagonists lies in the support given by their followers. The people religiously and blindly follow their idols. They believe that the charges are conspired against their spiritual leaders. They not only enjoy the support of the public but also get favours from the political parties. Most of these criminals have close nexus with politicians, elites and senior officials. Thus police operations are hindered at every possible stage by the authorities. They also enjoy the privilege of being extremely rich. With the passage of time they succeed in draining the wealth of their followers. Mostly their abstinence is accompanied by luxuries. They have huge mansions, numerous servants, luxury cars and unlimited money. They often use these things to bribe the system.

It is true that all saints are not monsters, but what about those who are? They not only play with the values of people but they also manipulate their subjects. They use their oratory skills to deceive public at large. The media and police have time and again exposed such cases but the public is still venerable. In spite of various awareness programmes people blindly follow their gurus. This has often increased the crime. At times when a Sadhu is caught the people hinder the working of police through their violent protests.

I’m attaching an Article published in the Hindu along with mail.  It exposes some of the magic tricks employed by Sadhu’s to deceive people.

http://www.thehindu.com/2003/07/27/stories/2003072703250500.htm