CHANDRASWAMI

Chandraswami was the most important holy man known for unholy practices in the '90s. He was so powerful that when the then Union Home Minister, Rajesh Pilot, ordered legal action against the Swami in some case, the fallout was such that Pilot had to quit his Cabinet rank Senior journalist Manoj Raghuvanshi recalls how once thousands of followers were waiting for the Swami at the Chaar Bagh railway station at Lucknow.  He  did not alight from the train for quite some time. “I started searching for the Swami. It so happened that he was travelling by a special coach which had been taken to the yard and insisted that it be taken back to the platform, only then would he get off the train.” Raghuvanshi also recalls that the Swami was very close to former Prime Ministers, Chandra Shekhar and Narasimha Rao.

The Swami's name was at the centre of may controversies. It was reported that he had illegal financial transactions with Adnan Khashoggi and Lakhubhai Pathak. The Jain Commission also pointed to the Swami for playing a role in financing the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.

Chandraswami's lawyer K K Mann said the Swami had been acquitted in two cases including the Lakhubhai case. However, seven cases against the Swami are still pending in courts. These include illegal financial transactions with Bina Ramani's design company and a Sri Lanka construction company. It is said that when Narasimha Rao died, the Swami was demoralised and retreated from public life. His close associates, however, say he keeps indifferent health. TSI made several attempts to meet him, but to no avail.

Born in Rajasthan in 1950, Chandraswami trained to be a Tantrik from his childhood. Some people close to the Swami reveal he helped many rich persons through Tantra and Mantra. In fact, he is reported to have recently conducted some Tantric rituals for Pretty Zinta's IPL team.