Chandraswami tantrik

Sucheta dalal
Chandraswami and harshad mehta
Dhirendra brahmachari

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Chandraswami, the rise and fall of a high flyer

NEW DELHI: Once a frequent high-flyer who could boast of the rich and famous as friends, controversial self-styled godman Chandraswami rose to national prominence due to his proximity to former prime minister P V Narasimha Raobut he died today in obscurity.

Chandraswami, the bearded draped-in-silk man with a heavy gold amulet around his neck and a tilak prominent on his forehead, has always been in the eye of a storm--be it arms deals, FERA violations, blackmail, cheating or fraud. He first gained fame as an astrologer. He died in a hospital here at the age of 66.

The alleged role of Chandrawamiin the assassination of Rajiv Gandhialso came to light in a report submitted by the M C Jain judicial commission, which went into the aspect of conspiracy behind the killing of the former prime minister. Gandhi was killed by a LTTE 'human bomb' in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, on May 21, 1991.

Chandraswami was last in the news in 2014 when the Delhi Police probed a complaint by a businessman that he was robbed off gemstones worth Rs 3 crore

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Chandraswami, the godman mired in controversy, is dead

Controversial godman Chandraswami — said to be a close friend of then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao and allegedly involved in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi — died in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Chandraswami, who had suffered a stroke, died at the Apollo Hospital at the age of 66.

“Spiritual leader Jagadacharya Chandraswami ji, 66 years old, had been ailing for some time. He recently suffered a stroke and later developed multi-organ failure,” a hospital statement said.

It said “despite all measures” taken by doctors, his condition deteriorated. “He succumbed to the illness today (Tuesday) at 2.56pm,” the statement said.

Chandraswami, whose actual name was Nemi Chand, shot to fame as an astrologer.

He wielded enormous power during the regime of then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. He was seen as one of Rao’s trusted aides and advisers.

Often mired in controversy, his name cropped up in investigations into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

In its report on the assassinat

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Seven godmen who fell foul of the law

Asaram Bapu, 77, was sentenced to life in prison - until death - by a special trial court for raping a teenage devotee on the pretext of ridding her of evil spirits, in 2013.

Here's a look at some cases of godmen on the wrong side of the law:

PTI

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Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, head of spiritual sect Dera Sacha Sauda was declared guilty in a rape case by a special CBI court in Panchkula. According to reports, the victim, who is a former follower, accused Ram Rahim Singh of repeatedly raping her inside the Dera campus near Sirsa in Haryana.

Current Status: In jail, trial on
Accused of: Murder, sedition
Based in: Haryana
Founder: Satlok Ashram
* In 2014, his followers held up road and rail traffic for over a week and formed a human wall around the ashram when police went to arrest the murder-accused.
* He had skipped court summons 42 times between 2010 and 2014. Supporters prevented police from taking Rampal into custody.
* Finally earthmovers were brought in to break the wall.
* The bodies of f