Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Dark history behind India's 'Guru in Bling'

Self-styled "godman" Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh inspired extraordinary devotion in India, where huge crowds flocked to hear his teachings -- even after he was accused of rape in a high-profile case that ended in conviction.

Singh counted film stars, cricketers and politicians among his legions of supporters.


But the most devoted were the vast numbers of ordinary Indians, many of them poor, who flocked to the sprawling headquarters of his controversial sect in the northern Indian state of Haryana to hear his teachings.

There, delirious devotees were said to weep with joy and fall at his feet for blessings.

They called Singh "pita-ji", or "revered father", and said his message of living simply and eschewing meat and alcohol had changed their lives.

That Singh's own life was far from simple did not seem to matter.

The extravagantly-bearded 50-year-old was dubbed the "guru in bling" for his flamboyant wardrobe, which included trousers emblazoned with sequins.

He travelled in a convoy of SUVs, starred in pop videos and even launched his own "Messenger of God" movie franchise in which he performed miracles, preached to thousands and beat up gangsters -- all while singing and dancing.

In the latest, "MSG -- The Warrior Lion Heart", he played a secret agent fighting aliens and UFOs.

That spawned a line of merchandise including T-shirts, caps and other insignia emblazoned with Singh's smiling face.

But the razzamatazz of his showbusiness career concealed a darker side to Singh's story.

In 2002 an anonymous letter was sent to then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee accusing the guru of repeatedly raping the sender and several other women at the headquarters of his sect in Haryana.

A judge asked the Central Bureau of Investigations to look into the accusations, but it took years to trace the alleged victims and it was not until 2007 that two women came forward and filed their complaint.

A local journalist who had covered the case was later killed. Singh still faces a conspiracy charge for alleged involvement, which he denies.

He is also being investigated for allegedly persuading up to 400 of his followers to undergo castration.

Despite the charges he faced, he was courted by Indian politicians eager to win his support -- and by extension that of his many followers.

Recent images showed Singh taking part in a cleanliness drive with the Haryana chief minister, who has been criticised for failing to prevent his supporters from going on a violent rampage after his conviction on Friday.

Police say at least 38 supporters of Singh's Dera Sacha Sauda sect were killed in the rioting that broke out minutes after the verdict was announced.

By then Singh himself had been whisked off in a government helicopter, accompanied by his adopted daughter, and taken to a jail in the city of Rohtak.

He had been chosen to head the Dera Sacha Sauda -- a controversial sect that describes itself as pan-religious and has angered Sikhs and Hindus -- as a child and formally took on the role when he was 23.

Despite his larger-than-life public persona, little is known about Singh's personal life.

According to his website, he was born on August 15, 1967, the only child of wealthy parents in western Rajasthan.

"Soon, his parents realised that he wasn't merely a child but the image of the lord. And thus, they never hurt him physically or verbally," says his profile.

Singh is married and has two daughters and a son. In 2009 he adopted one of his female followers, Honeypreet Insan, who reportedly calls herself "papa's angel" and is thought to be his intended successor.

He has sought to portray himself as a social reformer, promoting vegetarianism, campaigning against drug addiction and holding huge blood donation camps.

But he has antagonised other religious communities, notably the Sikhs. There were riots in the Sikh heartland of Punjab after Singh appeared in an advertisement dressed like Guru Gobind Singh, a revered Sikh guru.

More For You

Air India

The Amritsar-Birmingham and Amritsar-London Gatwick routes will each increase from three to four weekly flights, while Ahmedabad-London Gatwick will go from three to five weekly flights.

Air India to increase flights between UK and India from March 30

AIR INDIA will increase flight frequencies on key routes as part of its Northern Summer schedule, effective 30 March 2025.

In the UK, the airline will add three more flights on the Delhi-London Heathrow route, increasing from 21 to 24 weekly flights using a mix of A350-900 and upgraded B787-9 aircraft.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pablo-Escobar-merchandise-Getty

Escobar, killed by security forces in 1993, remains a figure of global interest, with his image appearing on souvenirs like T-shirts, mugs, and keychains. (Photo: Getty Images)

Colombia considers ban on Pablo Escobar merchandise

COLOMBIA’s Congress is considering a bill that would ban the sale of merchandise featuring drug lord Pablo Escobar and other convicted criminals.

The proposed law aims to curb the glorification of Escobar, who was responsible for thousands of deaths during his time leading the Medellín cartel, reported BBC.

Keep ReadingShow less
Assisted dying bill: Judge approval scrapped for expert panel safeguard

Polls show most Britons back assisted dying, with supporters calling for the law to reflect public opinion.

Assisted dying bill: Judge approval scrapped for expert panel safeguard

Eastern Eye

THE proposed new assisted dying law for terminally ill people will be amended to remove the requirement that a high court judge sign off on each case, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater said on Tuesday (11).

Opponents of assisted dying said the change would weaken the safeguards around protecting vulnerable people from being coerced or pressured into taking their own lives.

Keep ReadingShow less
Andrew Malkinson

Malkinson, 59, has been struggling financially since his release and has been on universal credit for 19 months. (Photo: X/@NotThatBigIan)

Wrongful rape conviction: Andrew Malkinson to get 'significant' compensation

ANDREW MALKINSON, who spent 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit, will receive a six-figure interim compensation payment from the Ministry of Justice.

The payment comes more than a year after his conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal in July 2023.

Keep ReadingShow less
IMF team visits Pakistan to assess governance and corruption reforms

The assessment will shape structural reforms and examine protections for property rights and foreign investments

IMF team visits Pakistan to assess governance and corruption reforms

Eastern Eye

A TECHNICAL team from the International Monetary Fund met Pakistan’s chief justice Yahya Afridi on Tuesday (11) to conduct a Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment under the 2024 Extended Fund Facility programme.

The IMF team is in the country for a week-long trip to scrutinise the judicial and regulatory framework tackling governance and corruption as part of a £5.6 billion loan agreed last year.

Keep ReadingShow less