Zeenews Bureau
Mathura: Ending days of speculation, Baba Jai Gurudev’s onetime driver Pankaj Yadav has been declared as the next chief of Gurudev’s Trust, which controls assets to the tune of Rs 12,000 crore.
Among the assets under the Trust is the sprawling ashram on the Delhi highway, besides a school and petrol station in Mathura. The Trust also, reportedly, has over Rs 100 crore deposited in banks, besides land worth thousands of crores.
Jai Baba Gurudev's fleet of cars included many Mercedes Benzs and BMWs. As per a report, the fleet is itself worth more than Rs 150 crores.
Baba Jai Gurudev, who has lakhs of followers in the country and abroad, had departed for his heavenly abode on May 18.
Yadav was a close confidant of Gurudev and had lit the funeral pyre of the saint. He had earlier served as Baba’s driver.
On Wednesday, a community feast was organised at Baba’s ashram in Mathura to mark the 13th day since his passing away. After the bhandara, Baba’s disciple Phul Singh read out a letter declaring Pankaj Yadav as the heir to the trust.
As per the letter, Baba Jai Gurudev – on July 20, 2010, given in writing to the Etawah civil court that Pankaj will inherit his assets.
Interestingly Panjkaj was not the one in running for Baba’s legacy. Those against his elevation point to a decree by way of which Baba had given his key aide Umakant Tiwari the authority to give naamdaan to new disciples – hence had chosen his successor.
It remains to be seen how Baba Jai Gurudev’s legacy is carried forward.
First Published: Thursday, May 31, 2012, 13:05