From Radhe Maa to Asaram: List of controversial gurus

New Delhi: Many self-proclaimed godmen like Asaram Bapu, Radhe Maa, Narayan Sai, Sarathi Baba have been in news recently. All kinds of charges ranging from rape, murder, cheating to forgery, obscenity, dowry harrassment and a lot more have been slapped on these so-called spiritual gurus.

Radhe Maa

Radhe Maa claims to be a self-confessed fan of actor and former adult movie star Sunny Leone. Her pictures in short dresses, gyrating to Bollywood tunes with her devotees during satsangs (religious discourses) have gone viral on the social media networks.

The controversial 'godwoman' Radhe Maa has been accused in a dowry harassment case. Sukhwinder Kaur alias Radhe Maa is also accused of instigating several people to commit suicide.

Asaram Bapu

73-year-old Asaram is lodged in a jail in Jodhpur following his arrest in September 2013 for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl in one of his ashrams.

There are charges of rape, criminal conspiracy and other offences framed against Asaram by a Jodhpur court in connection with alleged sexual exploitation of a minor girl in his ashram in Jodhpur.

Narayan Sai

Self-styled godman Asaram's son Narayan Sai has been charged under IPC sections for rape, unnatural sex, molestation, wrongful confinement, unlawful assembly, criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy.

Sai, 43, was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting the victim repeatedly during her stay as an inmate at his ashram here between 2002 and 2005.

Sarathi Baba

A case of sexual abuse has been filed against arrested self-proclaimed godman Sarathi Baba alias Santosh Roul. Sarathi Baba has also been booked for several charges of cheating, forgery and fraud, Roul is currently lodged in Choudwar circle jail in Cuttack, Odisha.

Sant Rampalji Maharaj

Self-styled guru Sant Rampalji Maharaj was arrested on November 19 after a two-week tense stand-off between his supporters and the police after close to 15,000 of his followers were evacuated from the sprawling premises of his Satlok Ashram in Hissar district's Barwala town.

In March 2015, police filed a chargesheet against Rampal and booked him and some of his aides on charges of murder and criminal conspiracy in connection with a case registered against him in Hisar in November last year.

Swami Nithyanada

In 2010 self-proclaimed godmann Nithyananda faced huge problems after some TV channels telecast purported video footage of the self styled godman in a compromising position with an actress.