Any development linked to Asaram Bapu carries the weight of a murky past. Shadows of suspicious dealings follow him. And invariably, the self-proclaimed spiritual guru finds himself in a mesh of legal proceedings.
In another development, the Gujarat High Court has allowed the State to reclaim over 45,000 square metres of government land from his Motera ashram in Ahmedabad.
The court dismissed petitions challenging the move. The land is valued at about Rs 500 crore and lies near the Narendra Modi Stadium.
The site forms part of a 650-acre stretch marked for the Sardar Patel Sports Enclave, an Olympic Village and allied sports facilities. The project is linked to Ahmedabad’s bid for the 2036 Olympic Games and preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
The State told the court that the land was allotted decades ago for limited religious use. The allotment came with strict conditions. These barred commercial activity, unauthorised construction and expansion beyond approved limits.
A government survey later found violations of these terms. The State said construction had spread beyond the original allotment of 33,980 square metres. It argued that the decision to reclaim the land followed a long administrative process. Multiple notices were issued, several hearings were granted.
The prosecution reportedly mentioned that the ashram itself sought regularisation of unauthorised structures. This, the State argued, amounted to an admission of violations. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation examined these pleas and rejected them.
The AMC told the court that more than 30 structures were unauthorised. It said such constructions could not be regularised under the law. Reference was made to its January 21, 2026 order rejecting the ashram’s impact fee application.
The State also informed the court that notices were issued to other alleged encroachments nearby. These included Bharatiya Seva Samaj and Sadashiv Pragya Mandal Ashram.
Upholding the State’s action, the High Court found no illegality in their processes. It said the allotment conditions were binding and had been breached. The court reportedly granted the ashram two weeks to vacate the land.
Fall from grace
Asaram Bapu is serving a life sentence in rape cases and is currently out on six-month medical bail granted by the High Court in November.
He was arrested in 2013 following a case of sexual filed against him by two of his followers. They accused him of raping their daughter.
Police said he allegedly called the victim to his room in his ashram in Jodhpur on the pretext of curing her and then raped her.
Allegations of sexual abuse first surfaced in 2013 when the woman filed a complaint against the guru.
She alleged that Asaram raped her several times at his ashram in Motera. According to the complainant, she was confined for five years there before she could escape.
He was also convicted of raping a 16-year-old girl in 2018.
Among other charges, he reportedly assaulted a woman several times between 2001 and 2006 at his ashram in Gujarat.
He created an empire of Rs 10,000 crore within four decades, starting from a modest hut near Sabarmati River in the early 70s to over 400 ashrams across the country and the world.
Also Read: 2036 Games: Land Linked To Asaram Bapu To Be Acquired For Olympic Village https://www.vibesofindia.com/2036-games-land-linked-to-asaram-bapu-to-be-acquired-for-olympic-village/
