Asaram Bapu’s trusts hold undisclosed income of Rs 2,300 cr, reveals IT probe

Surat: Various charitable trusts controlled by jailed ‘godman’ Asaram Bapu hold undisclosed income of Rs 2,300 crore since 2008-09, a probe by the Income Tax (I-T) department has revealed.

According to a report in the 'Indian Express', the Income Tax department has also recommended cancellation of tax breaks given to charitable trusts controlled by the ‘godman’.

The recommendations were made after a probe by the IT department revealed that the charitable trusts controlled by Asaram held undisclosed income of nearly Rs 2,300 crore since 2008-09.

The tax department has also unearthed “benami investments” allegedly linked to Asaram and his followers in real estate, mutual funds, shares, Kisan Vikas Patras and fixed deposits running into several crores, report quoted sources as saying.

Most of these investments were allegedly done through seven Kolkata-based private companies which were acquired by Asaram and run by his followers, said the income tax department sources .

The report was prepared by the investigation wing of the IT department, which found that Asaram, through his followers, allegedly ran a lending scheme that offered cash loans to individuals and entities, including prominent builders, at a monthly interest rate of 1-2 per cent.

Asaram is currently lodged in jail for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl at his ashram near Jodhpur in Rajasthan in 2013.