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‘Tum ko abhi upar se orders aajayenge’: What Asaram told us when we went to arrest him

‘Gunning for the Godman’ is a first-hand account of how IPS officer Ajay Lamba, then DCP Jodhpur-West, and his team tracked down and arrested Asaram for the rape of a minor.

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Assistant Commissioner of Police Chanchal Mishra made an interrogation note while the godman was being interrogated by the team members. Soon, Asaram realized that the police knew everything about his misdeeds from that fateful night, and perhaps because of that, he asked for some time off, for relaxation. It was then that Chanchal showed Asaram the Look Out Circular (LOC), and told him that he was not to leave the country. He was made to believe that the LOC had been issued after due diligence and judicial scrutiny. As Asaram was, by then, relatively more confident in dealing with Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Satish Chandra Jangir, he asked Chanchal to call him.

It was then that Satish, very smartly, offered him a face-saving and dignified exit. Asaram was told that he was going to be arrested sooner or later, and if he created a ruckus during that process, even his son and daughter would be arrested by the local police for disrupting police duty. He was assured that he would be ushered out of the ashram like a guest and taken to Jodhpur by air, not by road, as was ordinarily the case. He was assured that he would then be housed in a police guest house while in custody, and that he could engage the best lawyers possible, who would easily be able to bail him out because the case against him was rather weak.

Surprisingly, the inducement seemed to work in our favour, for upon hearing this, Asaram called in his team of lawyers, who were already present at the ashram, to discuss the plan with them. Thereafter, he sent the lawyers out of the room and called our team inside to tell them that he was ready to go with them to Jodhpur for being interrogated, but on the condition that the followers in the ashram didn’t come to know any of this. 

The team readily agreed and asked him to send his followers farther away from the immediate vicinity of the room and tell them that the police was not going to pick him up. They wanted a safe distance between the accused and his followers. By this time, Asaram was absolutely certain that Satish had become his faithful disciple.

Meanwhile, Satish called me to say that they had convinced Asaram to come with them and they would leave for the airport at four in the morning. The Baba had been recommended rest until then.


Also read: Asaram Bapu’s bail plea denied, Gujarat HC says thousands will come to meet him if he’s out


While Satish was briefing me about the progress that had been made thus far, and the understanding that he had developed between him and Asaram, investigators continued to put forward to Asaram uncomfortable questions related to the crime. Uncooperative, he frequently changed his position. At times, he even strayed from his promise of going with the team to Jodhpur in the morning. The exchanges between the officers and the godman were at times calm, and at others, heated. 

While SHO Mukta Pareek, Sub-Inspector Satyaprakash and SHO Subhash Sharma fired questions at him, Chanchal was recording the verbal exchanges. Suddenly, after about half an hour or so, Asaram, his two children and two of his attendants, followed by Chanchal and Mukta, walked out of the room and into the corridor where all the commandos were standing.

This time, it was Subhash who called me. ‘Sir, he is being very smug about the whole thing and not answering our questions properly. We tried to cajole him, request him, but he refuses to budge. When we tried to threaten him with immediate arrest, he just got up and walked out of the room.

Though he promises to cooperate and come with us, I doubt his intentions, as he is changing his stand frequently and is quite agitated. But we are trying our best.’

By now, Asaram was surrounded by his followers, who were shouting slogans against the police team, which could be heard clearly over the phone. I asked Subhash to deal with the situation. I knew he would do it ably.

He, then, directly faced Asaram and said to him in a firm tone, ‘Baba, humne aapse namrata se request ki thi ke aap humare saath cooperate karein, magar aapne aisa kuch bhi nahin kiya. Agar aap aisa hi bartaav karenge toh main aapko isi waqt arrest karne ka aadesh deta hoon aur aapko Jodhpur le jaane ka prabandh bhi karta hoon.’ (Baba, we had politely requested you to cooperate with us but you did not. If you continue to behave like this with us, I am going to give the order to arrest you this very moment and also make arrangements for transporting you to Jodhpur.)

When Asaram heard the tone of Subhash’s voice, he realized that this team meant business. For a moment, everyone could see a hint of fear in his eyes.

Tum aisa nahin kar sakte. Tum ko abhi upar se orders aajayenge ki mujhko arrest nahin kar sakte,’ he tried bluffing Subhash. (You can do nothing of the sort. You will soon receive orders from your superiors that you cannot arrest me.)

In response, Subhash took out his mobile phone from his trouser pocket and switched it off in front of Asaram. He also gestured to the other team members and the commandos to do the same.


Also read: On Asaram ashram’s website, Modi, Sibal & Vajpayee have left suspiciously glowing praises


When Asaram saw him switch off his phone, telling his team to do the same, he panicked. He began to look for Satish, whom he believed to be his faithful follower. Seeing Satish, he asked him to come close and whispered into his ear to calm his men down. Satish told him that Subhash was now in command of the team and the situation.

When Asaram heard this, he was back to being his unruffled self and said, ‘Theek hai, theek hai, main chalunga tumhare saath Jodhpur, magar abhi raat ke barah baj chuke hain. Main tumhare saath kal savere chal lunga.’ (All right, all right, I will accompany you to Jodhpur, but it is twelve in the night right now. I will leave with you tomorrow morning.)

Satish knew that it was indeed very late in the night, which could lead to an operational hazard if they insisted on Asaram’s immediate arrest and transportation. But before he could respond to him, Asaram started speaking to his son in Sindhi, his native language.

After he had said what he wanted to say to Narayan Sai, he looked at Satish and told him in a dismissive tone, ‘Theek hai, phir kal subah nikalte hain.’ (All right, then we leave tomorrow morning.)


Also read: ‘He was my God. To see him undress and assault me made me numb’


I got another call on my mobile. It was Satyaprakash. This was his first call to me since the inception of this operation and I was surprised that he was calling me instead of Chanchal, Subhash or Satish. When I answered his call, he said, ‘Sir, Jai Hind. Asaram is trying to deceive us! Sir, the man has asked his son to collect more of his supporters during the night and block his departure in the morning!’

Shocked as I was to hear this, I was also glad that Satyaprakash understood Sindhi. We had some advantage. And there was no time to waste. I asked Satyaprakash to tell everyone to behave as if they all believed the Baba. And then, I asked him to tell Satish to request Asaram to send his followers out and ask them to remain outside the main gate.

‘Once he has done so, some of you sit in the room with Asaram, and others, in the corridor outside. Wait for my instructions.’

Next, I called the Indore police requesting that they arrange for the exit of my team along with Asaram. Indore police acted promptly. They started increasing the deployment at the front end of the ashram. Riot control equipment, along with water cannons and tear-gas trucks, were stationed. The supporters of Asaram already present in front of the ashram, and those that were gathering there, observed everything that went on with eager attention.

This excerpt from Gunning for the Godman: The True Story Behind Asaram Bapu’s Conviction by Ajay Lamba (IPS) with Sanjeev Mathur has been published with permission from HarperCollinsIndia.

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23 COMMENTS

  1. What a Great writing skill. Lamba should be a screen writer also. Anyways the Case was fake, is fake and will be Fake!!!! The major loophole is that, that the case is of Delhi but running in Jodhpur where Congress was in rule. I hope I have said whole ..

  2. Do few things.
    Became vocal for narco test and in front of camera. Ffirst babaji then victim father.
    Then the reporter like u.
    Then the judge who pronounced sentence why he refused medical test.
    Definitely these became coffin in jail for reporter like u, police officials who registered case like this without proper investigation.
    On to top of this advocatebfor me to give free hand to handle this case. Will solve within 2week without touching victim.

  3. More than 7 years have passed since Asaram Bapu is in prison unjustly without conclusive and conclusive evidence for it. The FIR has been shown to be clean and in the medical report there are no signs of an alleged violation of the minor by Asaram Bapu. A high conspiracy has been created against Asaram Bapu by the Government and the missionaries and churches for the conversion of Hinduism to Christianity … and Asaram Bapu defends our culture and religion so that this reconversion is carried out. but ignorant people believe in corrupt media and criticize without first contrasting the information given by the shitty media. so there should be more common sense and information before speaking or criticizing !!

  4. वर्तमान में अपने आप को बुद्धिमान मानने वाले गणमान्य लोग भले ही आशारामजी बापू के बारे में जैसी भी धरना रखते हो, मगर वास्तव में सम्पूर्ण विश्व समुदाय उनका ऋणी है । आज नही तो कल प्रकृति, ईश्वर उनके निर्दोष होने को प्रमाणित करेंगे और तब ये दुर्बुद्धि लोग शायद कंही समझ जाएं ।

  5. हिंदू संस्कृति को खत्म करने का एक ओर दुस्साहस, हिंदू सम्भल सके तो सम्भल जाइयें ! https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1599996040160185&id=243883385771464 

    आज की बात नही है, सदियों से हिंदू संस्कृति पर प्रहार होते आये हैं और समय समय पर भगवान ने स्वयं अवतार लेकर सनातन धर्म को बचाया है।

    भारत ऋषि-मुनियों का देश रहा है और आज तक जितनी खोजें हुई और कई खोजें कोई भी वैज्ञानिक नही कर पाया, वे ध्यान समाधि द्वारा हमारे ऋषियों ने पहले ही कर दी है। चाहे बिजली हो या परमाणु की अथवा हवाई जहाज हो या शल्यक्रिया जितनी भी खोजे हुई हैं, हमारे ऋषियों ने की है, उनको हम साधु-संत भी कहते है। हमारी दिव्य संस्कृति बचाने में हमारे साधु-संतों ने अति महत्वपूर्ण योगदान दिया है क्योंकि अभी तक धर्म, संस्कृति और राष्ट्र बचाने के लिए हमे मार्गदर्शन उनके द्वारा ही मिलता रहा है और हमे इसका आसानी से लाभ मिल सके उसके लिए उन्होंने आश्रम खोले जिससे वहां हर व्यक्ति आकर समाज, धर्म, संस्कृति और राष्ट्र के प्रति अपना क्या कर्तव्य है तथा हमे उसके लिए कितना योगदान देना चाहिए वे सब समझाते हैं।

    साधु-संत और उनके आश्रमो में जाने वाले लोग धर्मपरिवर्तन नही करते हैं बल्कि कोई करता है तो उसको भी रोकते हैं और वे विदेशी सामान का उपयोग नही करते हैं, व्यसन नही करते हैं, क्लबो में नही जाते हैं, सिनेमा नही देखने जाते हैं, वेलेंटाइन डे आदि का विरोध करते हैं अर्थात जो भी भारतीय सनातन हिंदू संस्कृति और राष्ट्र को तोड़ने का कार्य करते हैं, उस पर आश्रम में जाने वाले रोक लगाते हैं, इसलिए हमेशा साधु-संतों और आश्रमों को टारगेट किया जाता है। विधर्मी, षडयंत्रकारी चाहते हैं कि सबसे पहले इनको जेल भिजवाओ, फिर इनके आश्रम बंद करवाओ, जिससे संस्कृति को तोड़ने ओर राष्ट्र विघटन का कार्य आसानी हो सके।

    मस्जिदों एवं मदरसों में राष्ट्र विरोधी कार्य होते हैं, वहाँ कट्टरपंथी शिक्षा दी जाती है, वहां आतंकवादी बनाये जाते हैं। चर्चो में धर्मान्तरण का खेल चलता है लेकिन इनको बंद करने की कोई मांग नही कर रहा है पर अभी सुप्रीम कोर्ट में सिकंदराबाद निवासी डुम्पाला रामरेड्डी ने दायर याचिका में कहा है कि बिना नियम-कायदे के चलने वाले कई आश्रम अवैध गतिविधियों के केंद्र बने हुए हैं। इनको बंद कर दिया जाए अथवा सरकार के नीति नियमों के अनुसार चले और सुप्रीम कोर्ट इस याचिका पर सुनवाई करने को तैयार भी हो गई। सरकार से जवाब भी मांगा है और दो हफ्तों के बाद सुनवाई भी होगी।

    जो न्यायालय और सरकार जिस पर 65 वारंट हैं, इसमे भी कई ग़ैरजमानती वारंट, जिसमे राष्ट्रद्रोह, बलात्कार जैसे गंभीर आरोपी उस इमाम बुखारी को कभी गिरफ्तार नही कर पाए, पूरे देश मे कोरोना फैलाने वाले मौलान साद को गिरफ्तार कर नही पाए और जिन मस्जिदों में आतंकवादी पलतें रहे और जिन चर्चो में धर्मान्तरण होते हैं, उनको बंद नही करवा पाए लेकिन आश्रमो के लिए सुनवाई के लिए तैयार हो गए क्योंकि हिंदू सहिष्णु है, पहले मंदिरों को सरकार के कब्जे में करवा दिया जिससे मंदिर का पैसा हिंदुओं के लिए नही बल्कि अन्य धर्मों में उपयोग किया जाए अब आश्रमों पर उनकी नजर ठहरी है इसलिए हिन्दू सावधान रहे।

    सनातन संस्था द्वारा राष्ट्र एवं संस्कृति के हित के कार्य करने के कारण उनको बंद करवाने में कई समय से विधर्मी लगे हैं।

    हिंदू संत आशारामजी बापू के बारे में तो सब जानते ही है कि उन्होंने समाज, देश और संस्कृति बचाने का अथाह कार्य किया जिसके कारण झुठा केस बनाकर साजिश के तहत जेल भेज गया।

    बापू आशारामजी ने क्या किया और आज भी उनके आश्रमों द्वारा क्या प्रवृत्तियां चल रही है देख लीजिए…

    1). लाखों धर्मांतरित ईसाईयों को पुनः हिंदू बनाया व करोड़ों हिन्दुओं को अपने धर्म के प्रति जागरूक किया व आदिवासी इलाकों में जाकर जीवनोपयोगी सामग्री, मकान, पैसे, दवाइयां आदि दी जिससे धर्मान्तरण करने वालों का धंधा चौपट हो गया।https://youtu.be/8Xrhgjye3XY

    2). कत्लखानों में जाती हज़ारों गौ-माताओं को बचाकर, उनके लिए विशाल गौशालाओं का निर्माण करवाया।https://youtu.be/d8RdbBjfjF8

    3). शिकागो विश्व धर्मपरिषद में स्वामी विवेकानंदजी के 100 साल बाद जाकर हिन्दू संस्कृति का परचम लहराया।https://youtu.be/wmswegtRqus

    4). विदेशी कंपनियों द्वारा देश को लूटने से बचाकर आयुर्वेद/होम्योपैथी के प्रचार-प्रसार द्वारा एलोपैथिक दवाईयों के कुप्रभाव से असंख्य लोगों का स्वास्थ्य और पैसा बचाया।https://youtu.be/fhwcW1mT92M

    5). लाखों-करोड़ों विद्यार्थियों को सारस्वत्य मंत्र देकर और योग व उच्च संस्कार का प्रशिक्षण देकर ओजस्वी- तेजस्वी बनाया

    ।6). लंदन, पाकिस्तान, चाईना, अमेरिका और बहुत सारे देशों में जाकर सनातन हिंदू धर्म का ध्वज फहराया, पाकिस्तान में तो कराची में गाजी दरगाह में दोपहर की अजान के समय भी वे हरि कथा करते रहे

    ।7). वैलेंटाइन डे का विरोध करके “मातृ-पितृ पूजन दिवस” का प्रारम्भ करवाया।https://youtu.be/LO7MWmLPz7w

    8). क्रिसमस डे के दिन प्लास्टिक के क्रिसमस ट्री को सजाने के बजाय, तुलसी पूजन दिवस मनाना शुरू करवाया।https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbBmiOH-57U42_T8gMe-Q1pE7sO78E1Sq

    9). करोड़ों लोगों को अधर्म से धर्म की ओर मोड़ दिया।

    10). नशा मुक्ति अभियान के द्वारा करोड़ों लोगों को व्यसन-मुक्त कराया

    ।11). वैदिक शिक्षा पर आधारित अनेकों गुरुकुल खुलवाएं।

    12). मुश्किल हालातों में कांची कामकोटि पीठ के “शंकराचार्य श्री जयेंद्र सरस्वतीजी”, बाबा रामदेव, मोरारी बापूजी, साध्वी प्रज्ञा एवं अन्य संतों का साथ दिया। https://youtu.be/jZBu4ZSu-tE

    ऐसे अनेक भारतीय संस्कृति के उत्थान के कार्य किये हैं जो विस्तार से नहीं बता पा रहे हैं।https://youtu.be/fhwcW1mT92M

    डॉ सुब्रमण्यम स्वामी ने तो यह भी बताया कि हिन्दू संत आशारामजी बापू ने लाखों हिंदुओं की घर वापसी की और करोड़ो लोगों को सनातन धर्म की तरफ ले आये इसके कारण वेटिकन सिटी ने सोनिया गाँधी को कहकर झूठे केस में फँसाया गया। उनके आश्रम में फेक्स भी आया था कि 50 करोड़ दो नहीं तो जेल जाने को तैयार रहो इससे साफ होता है कि उन पर अंतर्राष्ट्रीय षड्यंत्र हुआ है।https://youtu.be/rwOJIG3YHEI

    बाबा राम रहीम ने पंजाब एवं हरियाणा में हजारों युवकों को ड्रग्स आदि व्यसनों को छुड़वाया, गरीबो को सहायता की और उनकी संस्था द्वारा कइयो को ब्लड डोनेट किया, बॉलीवुड में भी अच्छे संस्कार वाली फिल्में लाई जा रही थी इसके कारण उनके पीछे साजिश हुई।

    इससे साफ पता चलता है कि पहले मंदिरों पर कब्जा, फिर साधु-संतों को झूठे केस में जेल भेजना ओर अब उनके आश्रम बंद करवाना ये एक सुनियोजित साजिश चल रही है, हिंदू सावधान रहें और इस षडयंत्र का पुरजोर विरोध करें।

    • सच्चाई सामने रखने के लिए धन्यवाद आपका 🙏🙏
      सत्यमेव जयते 🚩

  6. Well just to sell his book he is making story a thrilling one … i was there at that time in that black night where a 76 yr old Hindu sant was forcefully arrested at midnight … he requested wait for the morning but police said no…. rest what ever he has written in that book is wrong …. “subah chalenge aap subah ka wait kare “ – these r his words …. then Indore police lathicharged his disciple … and forcefully arrested then make him sleep on floor on“1”….they can not do this to any other mulla or maulvi …still in a bogus case they r cashing his story to make money and defame him more n more … but no one telling one thing that there is no rape in medical report …anyone can check … he got all this becoz in a very planned manner a major girl shown as minor and POCSO act implemented and in that act if a minor is telling something that is treated as bramh vaaky …

  7. It is funny how Hindus want Muslim clerics to be sent to prison also – just to compensate for the fact that all the rapist godmen are Hindus . The Hindus want to feel the Muslims are just as bad as them ! It is self evident Hindus are the worst community in India and Hindus also know it.

    The Muslims are different from Hindus. They do not blindly worship a man and surrender to rape. It is inconceivable for them, but it is normal for Hindus.

    I suggest to Hindus to contemplate why their culture breeds criminals like godmen, rioters, rapists pogrom organisers, and police who aid mobsters .

  8. Verey good article and right to put Asaram in jail.I don’t understand why we can’t do the same to Muslim so called cleric’s?
    More then 2000 Tablegis were holed up in Delhi but it took days to get them out and be tested for covid19?

    • There is no connection at all between the cases of Assaram and the Tablighis. The Tablighis were not rapists and criminals like Hindu godmen. A Tablighi meeting is not held to seduce young girls and make them surrender to a godman. That is a very Hindu thing. You imagine others are like you. The Tablighis had permission for the meeting, the police station was next doors and they did not ban it, and the international visitors had visas. It took days to get them tested only because the Hindu police threatened them as if they were criminals – which they were not. The Hindus wanted a communal incident.

      Now you see India is heading to be the leader of Covid. Even your false gods Shah and Bacchan have it. Your bad karma has sunk India.

  9. ऐसे बहुत बाबा है जो 5000 पुरानी भारतीय सभ्यता के कभी रखवाले माने जाते थे, अब जेल में आनंदलीन है।

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