Prompted by recent controversies surrounding so-called godmen, the crowning bodies of Hindu gurus -- the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad – has released a list of 15 ‘fake babas’ and demanded a surprise attack on “rootless religious group leaders” by carrying them in legislation.

Giving out the list, the Parishad's president Swami Narendra Giri said: “We demand to even the common people to be cautious of such swindlers who belong to the tradition of fraud and involved in disputed acts.

Meet the 15 bogus babas blacklisted by Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad

Ram Rahim Gurmeet Singh

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Singh, known as the Ram Rahim guru of bling for the adorned costumes he wears in self-produced films, was just sentenced to 20 years’ jail after being found guilty of raping two female followers. Hundreds of his followers run riot when he was convicted, aggressively attacking train stations, buses and television vans.

Secret tunnels, including one which linked the jailed sect chief plush residence with womanly disciples’ hostel, an empty box of AK-47 cartridges, and an illegal firecracker factory were among the detections made throughout a search at his wing headquarters.

Asaram Bapu (Asumal Sirumalani)

The 76-year-old white-bearded and white wearer man was arrested in 2013 after a teenage devotee alleged him of raping her at a religious occasion. Another female disciple later also accused him of rape. He has been in jail since 2013 on allegation of rape and criminal intimidation. Yet Asaram continues to have thousands of supporters form a group to court when he appears for hearings.

Numerous local newspapers have reported on the mystifying killings of three witnesses in the criminal cases he faces.

Narayan Sai

Asaram’s son Narayan Sai is in jail for allegations of raping a Surat-based woman follower of his father between 2002 and 2005. She was purportedly raped when she was living at Asaram’s ashram in Surat. Narayan Sai is also accused of having physical relationships with eight other girls.

Radhe Maa (Sukhwinder Kaur)

A Punjabi tenant, Sukhwinder Kaur later changed her name to Radhe Maa and moved to Mumbai. She hosts many religious events regularly at her Radhe Maa Bhawan located in Borivali. The Punjab and Haryana high court in recent times issued a notice against a police officer asking why condescension proceedings should not be kicked off against him for failing to act on a complaint against Kaur.

A Phagwara-based man had wedged a complaint against her, seeking registration of a case in 2015 for purportedly hurting religious sentiments, threatening and other offenses under the IPC.

Sachchidanand Giri (Sachin Datta)

He is known as ‘Builder Baba’ by devotees. Sachin Dutta assumed name Sachidanand Giri had been affirmed a proclaimed offender in a case registered with the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police and was later arrested from his house in Lucknow.

In 2015, a case of racket had been registered at Sector 58, Noida against Dutta and seven others for allegedly mortgaging sold flats in an Indirapuram housing society to take bank loans. The case was consequently transferred to the Indirapuram police station and the accused declared a proclaimed offender.

Swami Omji (Vinodanand Jha)

In November 2008,  A FIR was filed against Vinodanand Jha aka Swami Omji on a complaint by his younger sibling Pramodh Jha, who lay blame on him of breaking the lock of his bicycle shop in Lodhi Colony along with three men and stealing 11 bicycles, exclusive spare parts, sale deed of the house and essential documents.

The self-proclaimed godman also faces allegations under the Arms Act, Terrorist and troublemaking Activities (Prevention) Act in other matters.

Nirmal Baba (Nirmaljeet Singh)

Nirmaljeet Singh Narula,  called as Nirmal Baba, has appeared on television as part of his show, ‘Third Eye of Nirmal Baba’. This Jharkhandi-raised self-styled godman blast through the controversy surrounding the donations and the charging of admission fees (Rs. 2,000 per person) to his ‘darbar’ sessions. He is expected to be worth hundreds of crores and has a massive following in spite of providing advice bordering on the bizarre. He even has an app on Facebook called ‘Live Darshan 24/7’. A polarizing figure, Nirmal Baba has devoted devotees and vocal doubters.

Ichchadhari Bhimanand (Shivmurti Dwivedi)

Shivmurti Dwivedi was arrested in 2010 for allegedly involved in a sex racket. Dwivedi, alias Icchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakoot, was named under Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act. “He has political aspirations. He did not want to join politics now but was gaining ground progressively. He wanted to use his supporters as his vote bank,” a senior cop said after his arrest.

Swami Aseemanand

 In recent times Right-wing campaigner Swami Aseemanand was 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”

 Kaushlendra Prappanachari -Falahaari Baba

Alwar police have recently arrested rape accused Kaushlendra Prappanachari, better known as Falahaari Baba today. He was taken into custody from the private hospital, where he was admitted. He was taken to a government hospital for his medical check-up.

Falahaari Baba has been accused in a rape case. The complaint was lodged by a girl - a law student and whose parents were followers of the self-styled godman for years.

According to the complaint, the girl was sexually assaulted on August 7 at the Alwar ashram of Falahari Baba.

Rampal

Rampal considers himself an incarnation of the 15th-century poet Kabir.

In November 2014, five bodies were discovered by the police after they blizzard 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 rebuffed court orders to appear to answer charges including conspiracy to murder, provocative mobs and contempt of court.

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 determination.

Acharya Kushmuni

Acharya Kushmuni Swarup is a national talking head for Akhil Bhartiya Dandi Sanyasi Prabudh Samiti. After the list of bogus babas, Kushmuni suspected 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 take control of temples of Alkhnath Trust in Uttar Pradesh.

The other two babas on the list are Om Namah Shivay Baba and Malkhan Singh.

read also

Emmy Award-winner Julia Lous-Dreyfus is suffering from a breast cancer

Dussehra is trending on social media.

Germany to arrive in Goa on Saturday ~ FIFA U-17 WC