Two months on, Haridwar seer who helped form list of fake babas still missing

It has been two months since Mahant Mohan Das, a member of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) who helped compile the list of ‘fake babas’, went missing, but the police are yet to make any breakthrough in the case.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe into his disappearance and to trace him is still groping in the dark.

Das, the kothari of Bada Udasin Akhada, went missing on September 16 after boarding the Lok Manya Tilak Express from Haridwar for Mumbai, five days after the ABAP released the first list of 14 fake saints.

While ABAP, an umbrella body of Hindu seers, suspects involvement of the fake godmen who figured on the list, investigating officials are also probing into the fact that the missing seer had failed to deposit Rs 2 lakh with the Akahad parishad. He had got the money from a property dealer who had bought am Akhada property. Also, Das had withdrawn Rs 40,000 from an ATM in Haridwar prior to boarding the train.

The case assumed significance after ABAP chief Mahant Narendra Giri threatened to launch an agitation in Haridwar, Ayodhya and Allahabad if the police failed to trace the missing seer by October 2.

That deadline has elapsed. So have been two others --- Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had on September 26 given 15-day ultimatum to police to find the missing saint, and cabinet minister Madan Kaushik had on October 5 assured the ABAP of finding the missing saint within 10 days.

State tourism minister Satpal Maharaj and former chief minister, too during their respective visits to the Bada Udasin Akhada, had promised time bound closure of the case.

The SIT, led by Hardiwar superintendent of police (SP), visited Delhi, Meerut, Bhopal, Mumbai and even Nepal, but failed to trace Das

As per SP, City, Mamta Vohra, Das’s last location was traced in Meerut, but after that no breakthrough could be made.

Police officials are also probing if Das could have fled as days before he went missing, a land agreement worth lakhs of rupees had been done and he had the money with him ,which he had not deposited into Akhada’s bank account.

Investigating officer, Kankhal police station ,Anuj Singh, who was part of the police teams that went to various locations in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, confirmed they have not found any major clue or link in the case.

Interestingly, an Akhada office bearer has given Das’s horoscope to the SIT, telling the probe officials the possible locations where the missing saint could be, all based on astrological predictions.

“Yes, we had shown the Mahant’s horoscope to an astrologer. We had already searched a few probable locations that he hinted. We did it only on the insistence of the Akhada seers,” an official involved with the probe, requesting not to be named said.

Giri said that they are continuously monitoring the probe and are getting regular updates from police officials.

“CM and Additional Director General of Police (Law-Order) Ashok Kumar has assured us of sincere investigation and we are satisfied with the probe. Soon, we will be calling a meeting to chart out next course of action,” Giri said.