MP spiritual guru with political clout kills self
SUDDEN END Cops say in suicide note, Bhaiyyu Maharaj complained of being ‘stressed out’
BHOPAL: Self-styled Rolex-wearing spiritual guru Bhaiyyu Maharaj, who commanded an impressive following that included several top politicians and celebrities, shot himself dead on Tuesday afternoon at his Indore residence, police said.
The 50-year-old, who turned down the status of a minister of state offered by the Chouhan government in a controversial decision, died in a hospital, where he was brought in a critical condition.
Prima facie it appeared to be a case of suicide but the reason was being investigated, Indore’s deputy inspector general Harinarayanachari Mishra said. His family refused comment.
He left behind a two-page suicide note, a copy of which is with Hindustan Times, that says he was “stressed out, fed up”.
“Somebody should be there to handle duties of family,” says the first page of the note that is written in English and was found in a pocket notebook.
“I am leaving, to (sic) much stressed out, fed up,” says the next line, which like the earlier one bears his signatures.
The next page says all his financial matters should be looked after by Vinakay, who sources said was someone close to Maharaj.
He locked himself in his daughter’s room at his house in Silver Spring Colony in Tejaji Nagar area and shot himself in the head, DIG said.
“On hearing the gunshot, servants broke open the door to find him slumped on a bean bag with his licensed revolver lying nearby. His wife Dr Ayushi and servants rushed him to the Bombay Hospital,” he said.
Born Udaysingh Deshmukh in a family of farmers in Shajapur district of Madhya Pradesh, Maharaj modelled for a textile company briefly before switching over to social work and giving spiritual advice.
Bhaiyyu ji Maharaj was the name given to him by his followers.
Though a spiritual leader, he lived in style. He wore a Rolex, drove a Mercedes and was always nattily dressed. His following cut across political lines, giving him immense clout.
There was always a crowd of politicians at his ashram in Indore’s Bapat square. He was said to be close to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, former president Pratibha Patil, singing legend Lata Mangeshkar, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackarey, MNS leader Raj Thackarey and a host of other leaders.
He made national headlines in August 2011 when the UPA government at the Centre reportedly chose him to mediate on its behalf with social worker Anna Hazare, who was sitting on an indefinite hunger strike in Delhi in favour of his demand for a lokpal.
Later in September 2011, Narendra Modi, who was then Gujarat chief minister, invited Maharaj to his three-day Sadbhavana fast in Ahmedabad.
He was again in news in April 2018 when the state government gave him and four other religious leaders the status of minister of state for rejuvenating the Narmada river. Maharaj refused, saying he did not need a rank to work for the Narmada.
He was in news in 2002 when the NCP MLAS were flown to Indore to protect them from poaching. The MLAS visited his ashram and stayed in a hotel nearby.
He also had his share of controversies.
In 2005, a woman claimed Bhaiyyu Maharaj had fathered her son, a claim he denied.
In April 2018 when he married Dr Arushi Sharma, two years after the death of his first wife Madhvi, a Mumbai-based actor and writer accused him of making her write his biography but not paying the promised money.
Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Maharashtra CM Fadavanis and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan were among several leaders who expressed anguish over his death.
Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Ajay Singh, however, said, “Bhaiyyu Maharaj was concerned over illegal mining in Narmada and other rivers... His Facebook posts suggest he was not under stress…hence a high-level inquiry should be conducted into his death.”