Asaram’s was a black magic ashram: CID

Black magic rituals throbbed at the Asaram Ashram  — that is the revelation emerging from a deposition filed in the Gujarat high court by the CID (crime) while replying to a public-interest litigation.  Rumours about such dark practices proliferated after two children studying at the ashram’s gurukul died in mysterious circumstances a year ago. 

As for the CID’s statement, it was in response to a public-interest litigation filed by Shantilal Vaghela, the father of one of the victims, Abhishek. Vaghela and co-litigants had demanded that the investigation be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

“On January 22, three sadhaks (disciples) Minketan Patra, Vikas Khemka and Uday Sanghani were subjected to a lie-detector test at the Directorate of Forensic Science, Gandhinagar. They were also interrogated by the officials of the directorate,” said HB Rajput, an inspector with the CID, in the reply filed in the high court.

“The Directorate of Forensic Science concluded that all three men knew about the black magic activities being carried out at the ashram,” Rajput said. “The report also said that the trio had tried to conceal the fact.” Subramaniam Aiyar, Vaghela’s counsel, contended that if the police knew about the black magic activities, they should have filed an FIR and sought the remand of the sadhaks. Meanwhile, the Asaram ashram has filed its reply to the PIL.