The ex-ashram disciple had angered his former associates.
The attack on Raju Chandak, a former sadhak of Asaram Ashram, by two motorcycle-borne persons when Chandak was returning from his shop on Saturday night has brought more controversies for the ashram. Based on the statements of Chandak, who is recuperating at a private hospital, the Sabarmati police have lodged a complaint against Asaram Bapu and two others on attempt-to-murder charges.
Chandak, who had served in the ashram for 22 years, severed his ties with the ashram in 2002. On September 10 this year, Chandak gave a statement under oath before Justice DK Trivedi Commission probing the death of two boys in the ashram in July 2008.
In the statement, he revealed ‘’all the wrongdoings within the ashram’’. After that deposition against Asaram Bapu, he said he had been receiving threat calls from Asaram’s supporters regularly and about a fortnight back some ashram sadhaks had even tried to intercept him on Gandhi road.
After the Saturday attack on his life, Chandak made a declaration before a magistrate at SAL hospital naming Asaram Bapu behind the attack.
In his earlier statements, Chandak had said that black magic was performed at the ashram and also several shady practices, including suspected financial deals, took place there. Chandak had in fact become one of the most active persons against Asaram Bapu after the death of two ashram boys - Dipesh and Abhishek Vaghela.
Chandak, sources said, was one of trusted lieutenants of Asaram Bapu. After he left the ashram, Asaram supporters made several futile efforts to bring him back. Sources said his refusal to make peace with the ashram people might have angered the latter.
Chandak, incidentally, was not the only person casting aspersions on the ashram activities. About two months back, Mahendra Chawla, a former personal assistant of Narayan Sai, had deposed before the Trivedi Commission and said he had seen Sai performing black magic.
Chawla said during open proceedings that while he was in Kalyan Ashram in Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh, he had seen Sai performing some rituals on the banks of a river. Sai, he said, was reciting 'mantras' over the body of a child wrapped in black clothes.
In July 2008, the city had seen widespread violence after the death of Dipesh and Abhishek. The two boys who were staying in the Asaram Ashram at Motera had died mysteriously. While the parents and relatives of the two boys blamed the ashram for the death, sadhaks had come on the street when Asaram's name was dragged into the controversy.
The state government had ordered a CID probe into the death of the two boys. Last week, Gujarat High Court stayed the probe till December 12.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}