Well, that didn't take long.
A mere day after I wrote a blog post ("Gurinder Singh Dhillon back in financial scandal spotlight") where I wondered how long it would take for the Radha Soami Satsang Beas guru to be directly implicated in wrongdoing, the Indian press is reporting that Gurinder Singh has been accused of making death threats against his cousin, Malvinder Singh.
And as if that wasn't enough to trash the guru's spiritual reputation, Gurinder Singh also is accused of accepting a huge amount of money in exchange for guaranteeing that another cousin, Shivinder Singh, would succeed him as RSSB guru.
I encourage people interested in this Indian financial/religious/criminal drama to read each of these stories in full. I'm just sharing a tantalizing excerpt from each, along with a PDF file of the story in case it becomes unavailable online.
From India Today via Yahoo:
Malvinder has recordings of death threats to sign agreement absolving Baba, will make available when required, criminal complaint before EOW claims
Download Malvinder has recordings of death threats
Malvinder Singh's February 5 criminal complaint before the EOW has alleged that Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon, the spiritual head of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas, has been threatening from time to time to sign a family settlement that absolves "Sh. Gurinder Singh Dhillon of any wrongdoing whatsoever and agreeing that no liablities or legal proceedings or criminality would be attributable to Sh.Gurinder Singh Dhillon whatsoever under any circumstances". Malvinder has recordings of these threats which can be made available as and when required.
It also says that his younger brother Shivinder Mohan Singh has already signed the 'family settlement' "in his greed to become the next spiritual head of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas".
The complaint alleges when Malvinder refused to sign the settlement, "Sh. Gurinder Singh Dhillon has threatened the complainant through his lawyer Smt. Ferida Chopra that if he did not agree to the demands of Sh.Gurinder Singh Dhillon he would be eliminated by persons from the Radha Soami Satsang and that Sh.Gurinder Singh Dhillon was a powerful person who had contacts in the bureaucracy and polity at very high levels".
From Business Today:
Malvinder Singh drops death threat bomb, sues Baba, Shivinder, Godhwani brothers for alleged 'cheating', 'siphoning', 'collusion', seeks Rs 8,742 cr
Download BREAKING: Malvinder Singh drops a death threat bomb
The curious case of the missing Rs 22,500 crore from the erstwhile Ranbaxy, Fortis, Religare empire has taken another ugly turn with Malvinder Singh filing a criminal complaint against 'Baba' Gurinder Singh Dhillon-the spiritual head of the Radha Soami Satsang, Beas-his wife, sons and associates; his brother Shivinder as well as the Godhwani kin-Sunil and Sanjay. The complaint filed before the Economic Offences Wing claims Baba Dhillon through lawyer Ferida Chopra threatened Malvinder would be eliminated. Malvinder has sought Rs 8,742 crore owed to him by the alleged accused.
This is the first time ever that either of the brothers has openly accused the Baba to be cause of their financial misery. This is also the first time Malvinder has accused Baba Dhillon of financial impropriety. The brothers' previous barbs have been directed at Dhillon's former confidante Sunil Godhwani. The differences, which were talked in hushed tones all this while, are now public.
From The Hindu Business Line:
Malvinder: For spiritual seat, Shivinder allowed Dhillon to siphon off ₹8,646 crore
Download Malvinder: For spiritual seat Shivinder allowed Dhillon to siphon off ₹8 646 crore
After years of speculation that Gurinder Singh Dhillon, head of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB), a North India-based spiritual commune, received thousands of crores from the Singh brothers of Ranbaxy, Malvinder Singh has now detailed how money allegedly flowed from his companies to the ‘spiritual leader.’
In a complaint this month to the Economic Offences Wing (EoW) of the Delhi police, Malvinder accused his younger brother, Shivinder, the Dhillon family and the former head of Religare Enterprises, Sunil Godhwani, of criminal conspiracy, cheating and fraud for allegedly siphoning off thousands of crores from RHC Holdings, the group’s holding company that once promoted Fortis Hospitals and Religare.
...“Shivinder initiated these actions and permitted siphoning and malfeasance of funds with the ulterior motive of gaining control of the seat of the spiritual head of RSSB, which was promised to him by Dhillon in lieu of the financial gains,” the complaint states.
From The Tribune:
Malvinder files complaint against brother Shivinder, spiritual leader
Download Malvinder files complaint against brother Shivinder spiritual leader
Former Fortis Healthcare promoter Malvinder Singh has filed a criminal complaint against his brother Shivinder Singh, spiritual head of the Radha Soami Satsang Gurinder Singh Dhillon and others alleging financial fraud and threats to kill him.
The other people who are named in the complaint include Gurkirat Singh Dhillon, Gurpreet Singh Dillon, Shabnam Dhillon, Godhwani kin -- Sunil and Sanjay.
Malvinder Singh, who filed the complaint before the Economic Offences Wing here, alleged that Gurinder Singh Dhillon or Baba through his lawyer Ferida Chopra has threatened to kill him.
“Gurinder Singh Dhillon has threatened the complainant through his lawyer Ferida Chopra that if he did not agree to the demands of Gurinder Singh Dhillon, he would be eliminated by persons from the Radha Soami Satsang,” the complaint said.
The complainant also charged of receiving veiled innundoes and threats from various other satsangis about listening to the demands of Dhilion.
“...Shivinder Mohan Singh, in collusion and connivance with Gurinder Singh Dhillon, Gurpreet Singh Dhillon, Gurkirat Singh Dhillon, Sunil Godhwani, Sanjay Godhwani, Rajveer Singh Gulia and Pramod Ahuja misused his position, by aiding in concealment of the illegal acts of shiphoning off the funds...,” the plaint alleged.
It's hard to see how Gurinder Singh Dhillon and his cronies can avoid a criminal investigation, given the seriousness of the allegations against them.
Hopefully this is the beginning of the end for the RSSB guru, who has a long history of abusing his supposedly "spiritual" position by amassing vast amounts of wealth while serving as the head of Radha Soami Satsang Beas.
Unless Google is misleading me, the amounts of money involved in the stories above is astounding. Malvinder Singh is seeking damages of 8,742 crore rupees, which apparently is well over a billion dollars. This is almost exactly the amount that Gurinder Singh Dhillon reportedly siphoned off from companies once controlled by the Singh brothers, Malvinder and Shivinder.
This is an accusation of massive financial fraud, which comes from somebody who seemingly should know what happened: Malvinder Singh himself. And if he has recordings that prove Gurinder Singh Dhillon made death threats against him, seemingly the RSSB guru could find himself in prison.
As regular readers of this blog know, I've been writing about Gurinder Singh's misdeeds for a long time, quite a few years. These posts appear in the Radha Soami Satsang Beas category of this blog (see right sidebar, or click on preceding link).
Devotees of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (of which I was one for 35 years, before I saw the light and jumped off the RSSB ship) have done their best to excuse the guru's behavior, even going so far as to view what Gurinder Singh has done wrong as a test of their faith in him.
Hopefully these new allegations by Malvinder Singh will cause people to see the guru for what the evidence says he is: a master manipulator with poor ethical values who acts more like a Mafia boss than a spiritual leader.
Wow my life is shattered. I’ve been a follower of the path for so many years and my life has revolved around it. At least I can commit suicide now without having to worry about karma.
Posted by: DeathWish | February 18, 2019 at 03:49 AM
WTF !!!!! This is absolutely a live bomb, both these things that you report here, and fully deserving of these gaudy exclamation marks I've taken the liberty of putting in here !!!
One watches with fascination as these sordid happenings wind their way to ... well, let's see what happens, these still qualify as allegations (although that's a flimsy enough qualifcation, or so it seems sitting here).
Here's what fascinates me, really, about this whole business: What, exactly, is the psychology of this Shivinder character, the one who's apparently trying to buy his way into Guru-hood?
Is it simply chasing lucre? Become a Guru, the better to fill your pockets? That's base, despicable, all that, but at least it is understandable.
Or might this guy actually still be buying into this whole narrative, and might he believe that getting anointed as the Guru will actually help him grow wings on his buttocks?
This is the part that I'm really curious about. Had this been a novel that I'm writing, I'd devote a full two chapters on the man's psychology. Unfortunately this is real life, so I suppose there's zero chance of his actually coming out and speaking honestly on this.
Also, WTF was that about "Sheena" returning to the Dera (as reported in the previous thread by a commenter, presumably a Beas insider)? Are we to expect another book, then, detailing her re-conversion? (Always provided this commenter has her facts right, of course.)
Posted by: Appreciative Reader | February 18, 2019 at 05:27 AM
Sheena is known writer of rssb books
Posted by: Anonymous | February 18, 2019 at 05:30 AM
Yes she is a known writer but she has also written a book against the organisation without naming it. If she was so against it then why did she go back?
Posted by: Seeker | February 18, 2019 at 06:09 AM
It is a thing to worry for those who still are comforted by its guarantees on post-life safety and therefore their wholehearted acceptance of the Path.
wish that matters be put to rest by either humble admission to certain errors that might have occurred or clear denial with adequate proofs by the concerned parties as most of the financial mess - counting in billions is in public domain. This would help us in strengthening ourselves onto the path and become free of any second thoughts about it.
Posted by: Meditator | February 18, 2019 at 09:15 AM
Where is Sheena? Is she a real person or a fictional character?
Posted by: Guru | February 19, 2019 at 11:09 PM
@Guru Sheena is a fictional name just for the purpose of that book, however it is written by a person who has actually stayed in Beas for several years. She writes her story in great detail. Do read that book if you get time. It is definitely an eye opener for all the blind followers.
Posted by: seeker | February 19, 2019 at 11:16 PM
@seeker that still doesnt make her a real person. Until she comes here and comments herself and talks to us it could be anyone who has written that book. Brian's interest and hate towards rssb is so strong that one can think he has written that book just to add to his anti rssb collections. I am a bit confused and not sure if i can belive sheena is a real person. Although i mean nothing here lol i still can express my feelings. Hoping Sheena will join the anti rssb force and come here to take questions personally or maybe the original writer of the book if Sheena is just a cover up personality!
Posted by: Guru | February 22, 2019 at 03:45 AM
@seeker: what is the name of that book, and where will I find that? TIA.
Posted by: Tejinder Kawatra | February 23, 2019 at 10:40 AM
@Tejinder Here is the link to the book on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Memoirs-Seeker-Sheena-ebook/dp/B07FDBX8NP/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=memoirs+of+a+seeker
Posted by: seeker | February 23, 2019 at 11:06 AM
@Guru She is a real person. I know her real name and can vouch that whatever she says is her own experience. It's her choice if she wants to be active here. There is nothing anti rssb force, everyone is just trying to find the truth.
Posted by: seeker | February 23, 2019 at 11:08 AM
@seeker maybe sheena should thank you for vouching for her but if you have watched bollywood movie Mr India, there this dilemma who hasn't seen him cannot believe he exists and he is invisible. So not sure if i can believe if she is real. I know it doesn't matter to anyone whether i believe it or not but i have my doubts of her existence. I rather believe in brian because he at least has the guts to come out in the open about his experience! Lets hope Sheena does come out one day in the open and people can believewhat she says like we all trust Brian! Hopefully i am not being disrespectful to anyone?
Posted by: Guru | February 23, 2019 at 02:54 PM
@guru
She is a real person.
She was in dera for a long time. Did seva very closely with Gsd.
People in dera know exactly who she is.
I have also communicated with her directly so can say she is real.
Buy and read the book.
Posted by: Osho Robbins | February 24, 2019 at 12:15 AM
when I notice money matters above the spiritual, I'm gone and out of there.
on the spiritual level, your highest guru is your higher self
nobody can claim the throne of your higher self
Posted by: higher self | May 10, 2019 at 03:42 AM