Having been an active member of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) for about 35 years, I follow goings-on with RSSB when they come to my attention. That includes news involving the current RSSB guru, Gurinder Singh Dhillon.
On November 26, 2019 I wrote a blog post, "Shabnam Dhillon, wife of RSSB guru, has died." I included a Business Today story about her death which said in part:
Shabnam Dhillon, wife of Radha Soami Satsang Beas head Gurinder Singh Dhillion, has passed away in London. She was 57 years old.
According to a statement before Delhi High Court, Shabnam went to London on November 12 for treatment of gastric troubles. She and other members of the Dhillon family had been summoned to appear before the court in person in relation to the Daiichi Sankyo case.
As per the filing, Shabnam had undergone abdominal surgery in United Kingdom on November 20. She later developed some complications post surgery. She breathed her last at an England hospital at 3:00 am IST.
On October 14, 2022, last month, I wrote another blog post about her death, "Shabnam Dhillon's death leaves questions unanswered." Here's one question.
I'm pretty sure that there never has been any description of what the post-surgery complications were. So that's one question.
...Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that an autopsy was performed, and her body was cremated in early December of 2019. It'd be interesting to see Shabnam Dhillon's death certificate (if that's what they're called in Great Britain) to learn exactly what the complications were that caused her death.
If any reader of this blog lives in Great Britain and is willing to obtain a copy of the death certificate, please do so and email me a scan of it.
After I made that request, someone figured out how to get a copy of the death certificate and left a comment with that information. I managed to set up an account with the General Register Office and ordered a copy of Shabnam Dhillon's death certificate.
It came yesterday. Here's a scan. My comments are below.
The death certificate says that she died at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. It looks like Luton is close to London, so the Business Today story mentioned above had that more or less right.
It's a bit curious that her usual address is shown as 6 Church View, Clapham, Bedford, Bedfordshire. That's the most expensive property in the area (I want to say zip code, but that's a USA term). I thought the RSSB guru and his wife were usual residents of India.
Her occupation is Housewife, Wife of G S Dhillon, Spiritual Master.
The death certificate was registered by Emma Whiting, Senior Coroner for Befordshire and Luton. An inquest was held on April 23, 2020, about five months after Shabnam Dhillon died. According to Wikipedia, an inquest is held when a death is sudden or unexplained.
Whiting's conclusion was that she died after developing septicaemia following a complicated medical procedure.
It seems that she went to England for a revised bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery makes changes to the digestive system in order to help someone lose weight.
Naturally it's sad when a 57 year old woman dies. I find it especially sad that Shabnam Dhillon died because she wanted to lose weight via surgery. I'd envisioned her going to England for treatment of a medical condition.
Though I guess she did have a medical condition of sorts, since the 2019 bariatric surgery was "revisional," which I gather means necessary to fix a problem with the original surgery.
Lastly, all the time I spent as a member of Radha Soami Satsang Beas taught me that the RSSB guru is viewed by devotees as having mystical knowledge akin to that of God -- since the guru traditionally is seen as God in Human Form.
There are many stories of previous RSSB gurus saving their disciples from harm by intervening in some way. That obviously didn't happen in this case, since the wife of the RSSB guru traveled to England for surgery and ended up dying from multiple organ failure.
I no longer believe that the RSSB guru is anyone special. So I just see this as an unfortunate death caused by a surgical mishap. But those RSSB members who believe the guru can save them from misfortune should remember that Gurinder Singh Dhillon wasn't able to save his own wife.
Meaning, in my view, he's just an ordinary human being like the rest of us. That makes his wife's death sad, not anything with spiritual significance beyond the usual meaning of an untimely death.
I recall 1974 when Baba Charan Singh came to UK to deliver Satsang. A follower of RSSB persuaded me to go to Satsang at Royal Albert Hall London , where i noticed Western appearance people with separate seating from Indian's and number of these went on floor and started to have what i thought were epileptic seizures, very distressing view but i was told this was due to their souls mating with master's soul. Next day my invitee told me that a coach/bus traveling from Birmingham for Satsang had one wheel come off but was saved " by the invisible hand of Master".
I asked him how Baba could lend a hand under a coach 90 miles away but during Satsang kept knocking on sound system that kept crashing many times and everytime it was sound engineer to make it work and not master's knocking touch. Needless to say my invitee considered it insulting master.
Shabnam,s maiden name " Sekhon '' gives a hint of her "Clan " GSD sister's husband Parminder Singh Sekhon is a former Punjab Akali government Cabinet Minister and Chief advisor to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Bikram Majithia (husband of Ganieve Grewal) whose main job was to organise pot holes in village roads and electric cut offs for village's near Dera Beas so that land can be bought cheaply.
Posted by: Baba Land Grab | November 14, 2022 at 12:42 PM
Gurinder Singh Dhillon, aka the fake guru of beas, had the motive to order the death of his wife, shabnam , for his benefit. Most of the siphoned money was on his wife's name so deflected the real culprit, GSD. Gurinder your days are numbered.
Posted by: Ranvir | November 14, 2022 at 02:06 PM
@ Brian Ji [ I no longer believe that the RSSB guru is anyone special. So I just see this as an unfortunate death caused by a surgical mishap. But those RSSB members who believe the guru can save them from misfortune should remember that Gurinder Singh Dhillon wasn't able to save his own wife.]
I think mystics yell loudest in support of that. The Guru's role is that of a "stage actor"
as Spence Tepper said. He is subject to all physical laws/limitations. It's his awareness
which is extraordinary. That's the realm of real magic.
GSD even clarified that he's not coming for the disciple at death. Gasp! The inner guru
does however. That's why mystics follow a path of devotional mindfulness: to understand
and tap this treasure of awareness right inside us in the form of an inner guru, our real
"self" in truth. Those who haven't yet realized this still look to the "stage actor" however
to save us from calamity.... whether it's an operation or death itself.
p.s. my apology if I got any of this "stage" theory detail wrong. We're all a work in
progress on our toy stages.
Posted by: Dungeness | November 14, 2022 at 03:15 PM
@ Dungeness..."inner guru, our real
"self" in truth. Those who haven't yet realized this still look to the "stage actor" however
to save us from calamity.... whether it's an operation or death itself.:"
I prefer Brian's comment that GSD is as ordinary as any of us with his own vices and weaknesses.
The "stage actor" thing gets complicated. Is he orating his own words or a script writer's? Does he see himself acting on his own behalf? Or is someone else pulling his strings from behind the curtain? If so, then who? His inner real self or his guru?
He eats, sleeps, does his thing, and one day will die like any ordinary person.
Once in a while, he may say that he is a ordinary stage actor like so many others, but RSSB propaganda machine and his agents shout out his extra ordinaryness all day, everyday. The fact that he goes along with it, reeks of hypocracy.
People who have loyally served him for decades aren't allowed to touch or photograph him. But it's ok for corrupt politicians and their PR teams.
And for me that is just wrong for someone whose occupation is a Spiritual Master.
Posted by: Di | November 14, 2022 at 07:18 PM
@ Di [ Once in a while, he may say that he is a ordinary stage actor like so many others, but RSSB propaganda machine and his agents shout out his extra ordinaryness all day, everyday. The fact that he goes along with it, reeks of hypocracy........People who have loyally served him for decades aren't allowed to touch or photograph him. But it's ok for corrupt politicians and their PR teams.]
RSSB propaganda machine? his agents? goes along with it... ?
He'd spend the bulk of his time demurring myths and conspiracy theories if
he were to fight them all. And frankly, I applaud the "no" to touch and pix... I
have only to imagine the slimy photo-ops those politico/PR's indulge in
and would rush to do if green-lighted... seriously are you saying GSD allows
them? I can see it happening only in limited circumstances due to RSSB's
covid treatment site, say, for instance. Am I wrong?
p.s. as for being standoff-ish with friends, RSSB puts emphasis on a
subtler internal friendship rather than a ritualistic one
Posted by: Dungeness | November 14, 2022 at 09:22 PM
https://youtu.be/llG3yRdYtDk
@ "he does his thing " but according to old Radha soami books not like Humans. Saint's thing doesn't smell like Humans and this was the TEST for God's in human form. Video link is meeting of two God's last week .Many Hindu's regards Modi as God sent to revive Hinduism and rule the world. Modi and GSD need one another. One needs votes and other to save his Billions worth of property and court cases.
Posted by: Baba Land Grab | November 14, 2022 at 10:39 PM
Okay, nothing devious or demonic, just complications from surgery. Mortality from that procedure is less than one half percent, but it isn't unheard of...
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsurg.2022.880044/full
Of the risks, intestinal perforation is very dangerous...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5256250/#:~:text=An%20intestinal%20perforation%20is%20a%20major%20life%2Dthreatening%20condition%20with,2%2C3%2C4%5D.
Posted by: umami | November 16, 2022 at 08:07 AM
The timing of Shabnam's death remains a red flag. The fact that GSD did not cancel his schedule and fly to Britain to be at his wife's bedside is another red flag. Shabnam's death certificate states delayed colonic perforation. Colonic perforation leads to intra abdominal sepsis. Delayed colonic perforation can be caused by medical negligence. Did GSD and the family investigate the possibility of medical negligence? Shabnam's body was flown to India a few days after her death, and was cremated a few days later. A lot of unanswered questions remain. Rest in Peace Shabnam.
Posted by: Barbara | November 16, 2022 at 01:25 PM
https://www.firstpost.com/india/pm-modi-visits-radha-soami-satsang-beas-in-amritsar-meets-chief-baba-gurinder-singh-dhillon-11575601.html
LoL - The two of them schmoozing. Modi gets the rssb votes, GSD gets immunity. Hey, it's a Win Win!
Posted by: Barbara | November 16, 2022 at 09:38 PM
@Barb [ The two of them schmoozing. Modi gets the rssb votes, GSD gets immunity. Hey, it's a Win Win ]
Now, if only you coulda been a Hindi-savvy fly on the wall... heck,
there mighta been insights to glean about the Shabnam cover-up
too.
Damn. so many scandals, so little proof. But, we know the truth!
Besides, hints of impropriety can always be sold to the tabloids.
Posted by: Dungeness | November 17, 2022 at 12:58 AM
Bariatric surgery isn't exclusively for weight loss, as it's also prescribed for people who are facing health complications from diabetes. The late Ms. Dhillon didn't appear to be obese in the photograph, but perhaps she was when the original surgery was performed.
In any case, my 2 cents:
1) The posts made about Ms. Dhillon were a disgraceful melange of innuendo, unproven claims, and general boorishness.
2) Whatever the precise reason for Ms. Dhillon's surgery, she, her guru husband, and other sant mat gurus, have needlessly developed diabetic conditions and other ills because of their sentimental adherence to the proven-unhealthy vegetarian diet.
Posted by: Generation77 | November 17, 2022 at 04:28 PM
vegetarianism isn't unhealthy if followed with intelligence and balance.
Pontificating about why someone is dead from an outsider's perspective is the height of hubris.
She died. We all die. It is just a question of time, chance, and circumstance.
I appreciate Brian taking the time to get the death certificate.
That is factual. Most of our ad hoc interpretations are not.
Posted by: bewiseineating | November 17, 2022 at 11:01 PM
I believe the word ghoulish is appropriate for this line of inquiry.
Posted by: Joe | November 18, 2022 at 04:03 AM
Joe, it isn't ghoulish to request a death certificate, which is public information available to anyone. Shabnam Dhillon was a public figure, figuring quite prominently in reporting about the financial misadventures of the Singh brothers and the Dhillon family.
Shabnam was supposed to testify about this before an Indian court, but she used her trip to England for medical care as an excuse. Then she dies before she could testify. Little information about her death was released by the Dera, the headquarters of the religious organization her husband heads up. So now more information is available. That's a good thing, not ghoulish.
Posted by: Brian Hines | November 18, 2022 at 09:24 AM
"vegetarianism isn't unhealthy if followed with intelligence and balance."
Then why does Gurinder have diabetes, a disease which is directly tied to the consumption of sugar and carbs which turn into sugar? Why did Gurinder's wife have to have surgery to correct excess weight gain, which again is a condition that's directly related to the vegetarian diet?
Why is Rajinder Singh and many of his family members overweight? They're all lifelong vegetarians.
The answer is that vegetarianism is not healthy at all.
"Pontificating about why someone is dead from an outsider's perspective is the height of hubris.
She died. We all die. It is just a question of time, chance, and circumstance. I appreciate Brian taking the time to get the death certificate."
Huh? Brian Hines alleged here that there was a conspiracy to hide the true reason of Shabnam's death, i.e, that the guru likely had her put down:
"On November 27, 2019, Shabnam Dhillon died in a hospital following surgery on November 20. Now, naturally it could be a coincidence that her death occurred 13 days after she was supposed to appear at a hearing before the High Court of Delhi regarding fraudulent transfers of large amounts of money."
If you don't see how despicable and baseless Brian's allegations are, you're either highly partisan or have serious reading comprehension problems.
To be clear, neither the guru nor his wife has ever been charged with a crime related to Ranbaxy, and there's zero evidence that, um, the guru likely killed his wife to keep her silent. What Brian wrote is shameless total nonsense, but of course, he offers no apology for his scurrilous accusations.
Posted by: Generation77 | November 19, 2022 at 07:58 AM
"Shabnam was supposed to testify about this before an Indian court, but she used her trip to England for medical care as an excuse. Then she dies before she could testify. Little information about her death was released by the Dera, the headquarters of the religious organization her husband heads up. So now more information is available. That's a good thing, not ghoulish."
I agree, it's not ghoulish, but it is despicable. Despicable to concoct a conspiracy theory that the guru's wife died not from understandable medical causes, but from murder.
Brian, what did you expect Shabnam's death certificate to say? "Died from blunt force trauma to the cranium"?
It's a nice conspiracy theory -- the guru's wife is killed to prevent her court testimony! The Dera is keeping the death certificate a secret at the behest of the guru!
What's the matter Brian, why are you stopping now? Why not allege that the doctors and the hospital were in on the plot to kill Shabnam? Or perhaps the coroner lied about the true cause of her death? Or perhaps the death certificate is fake? If you want to play Alex Jones you can't give up so easily.
Posted by: Generation77 | November 19, 2022 at 08:09 AM
Generation 77, your fact-free comments show how detached you are from reality. I never, not once, have accused Gurinder Singh Dhillon or anyone else of murder. So that's a flat-out lie. In fact, in a comment above you included a quote from me that shows your lie, since I said it could be a coincidence that the guru's wife died 13 days before a court hearing about her involvement in a financial fraud case.
No detailed information was provided on the cause of death by the Dhillon family or the headquarters of Radha Soami Satsang Beas. As noted in this post, an inquest was held by the coroner months after her death. Inquests only occur, to my knowledge, when there is a question about the cause of death. So the coroner had reason to hold an inquest, since questions needed to be answered.
Along with the coroner, I and others wanted to know the cause of death. So I paid to get the public record death certificate, then shared what the certificate said. No big deal. You're the one who is manufacturing a conspiracy theory that I never engaged in. If other people suspect foul play in Shabnam's death, that's their view, not mine. Thanks in advance for your apology to me. Facts matter to us devotees of truth.
Posted by: Brian Hines | November 19, 2022 at 11:01 AM
@ no proof of any wrong doing.
For general public it is an offence to extract even one bag of sand from natural river flow.Here is a Godman under whose order's River bed near Dera Beas was filled up by huge crane's and flow turned away to neighbouring villages causing flood's. Imagine being a handicapped with 5 acre's of land and your families survival depends on that land but a Godman has built a River dam on it. Godman,s powerful politician relative's are organising power cuts and digging up pot holes in village roads and even police being ordered by politician relative's to harass poor people so that a greedy Godman can buy villages cheaply. For general public there is land ceiling act that only a certfied farmer can buy agriculture land and up to maximum of 15 acre's but that law doesn't apply to a Godman who is anything but a farmer. Every single Godman in india is created by corrupt politicians as vote bank and to launder corrupt money abroad.
Posted by: Baba Land Grab | November 19, 2022 at 07:01 PM
can the vegetarian diet be healthy?
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/vegetarian-diet/art-20046446
Posted by: balance | November 19, 2022 at 08:11 PM
The Great Brian
and his army
of Sikh trolls.
Posted by: Li | November 19, 2022 at 09:51 PM
Isn't it a bigger conspiracy to believe we have a bent, clown baba, who dresses like a perfect guru to be regarded as a son of god, and will take marked sheep to sachkhand (true heaven) . This when every word out of this bent guru is a Lie!!!. It is more apt that he is the son of satan. And by the way it's far too convenient that after his wifes death, his court cases get dropped given he had cunningly put the money on her name. So in my view he is a MURDERER. He and his family are living a lavish lifestyle from laundered money. Your days are number you evil narsasistic bent baba of beas.
Posted by: Kanvir | November 20, 2022 at 02:19 PM