Why is the rape-accused godman Madan aka Daati Maharaj not being arrested?

Gurmeet alias Ram Rahim, Asaram Bapu and now Daati Maharaj, the list of such self-proclaimed gurus who have been accused of many crimes besides sexual exploitation of women is long. There is one thing common in all these self-proclaimed sadhus and that is, all of them have had a considerable political clout. All of them, including Daati Maharaj, have photos with many influential leaders, ministers and chief ministers. The story of the emergence of Daati Maharaj, who has allegedly been hiding in one of his ashrams at Pali after being charged of rape, is the same.

It is being alleged that the meetings of the BJP campaign Sampark for Samarthan, led by its president Amit Shah, were held at Daati Maharaj’s Shani Dham in Delhi’s Chhattarpur. Political circles are abuzz with news that Daati Maharaj was being considered for a Rajya Sabha seat.

BJP general Secretary Ram Lal had mentioned about his meeting with Daati Maharaj as a part of the campaign ‘Sampark for Samarthan’ in a Facebook post. He had presented the booklet about the government’s achievements in last few years to Mahamandaleshwar Shani Dham Paramhans Daati ji Maharaj. He blessed us and said, Modi ji has done a commendable job with Swachh Bharat and Beti Bachao Missions.

The Delhi police registered a case of rape against him on June 10, the case was registered under IPC sections 376, 377, 354 and 34, a lookout notice was issued. But he has not been arrested as yet. He has constantly been giving interviews to one channel after another and is trying his best to create an environment in his favour. The victim had given details of how she was raped by Daati Maharaj and his followers in Delhi and Rajasthan.

The victim filed a FIR on June 10 and till June 18, the police showed no interest to act on the FIR. Meanwhile, there are reports are that the 600 girls living in Daati Maharaj’s ashram are also at risk. The victim has clearly stated that there are many women who have been sexually exploited by the Maharaj and his followers, but they are not saying anything out of sheer fear.

Social media is also flooded with the reports about Daati Maharaj’s meetings with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adiyanath and BJP national president Amit Shah about two months ago. His photo with Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the news of his attending a Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao programme with Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje have once again gone viral.

Like Ram Rahim aka Gurmeet and Asaram Bapu, Daati Maharaj is also considered close to the BJP. He had taken upon himself the task of publicising the Bet Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign of the government and continued attending the programmes organised by the BJP in Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

Daati Maharaj, a resident of Rajasthan had tried his hand at selling tea, then catering, and eventually, in 1996, he learnt astrology and tried his luck at fortune telling. He started Shani Mandir ashram and trust in Fatehpur Beri, Delhi. After he was anointed ‘Mahamandaleshawar’ in Haridwar Maha Kumbh, he became quite influential in the political corridors. He started his own astrology programme on some TV channels and gradually his empire and influence began to increase.

After the case of rape was registered against him, two of his photos—one with MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the other with RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat—have gone viral on social media. Besides them, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, union minister Rajyawardhan Rathore and deputy Chief Minister of UP Keshav Prasad Maurya are some of the significant political leaders he is considered to be close to.