Babas thrive on faith, following

local court also banned him from entering Sodiem-Siolim for 60 days following a clash with residents.

Lal Bulchandani gained popularity as Lal Sai in Bairagarh, Bhopal. Politicians made a beeline for his ashram but he was accused of raping a teenage follower in October 2008. He surrendered before the court in June 2009 and got bail two days later. Lal Sai’s advocate, Ajay Gupta, said the court had acquitted his client. Lal Sai now stays in his ashram but has lost most of his followers.

Self-styled faith healer Gulzar Peer aka Gulzar Ahmad Bhat is currently in jail. Four girls studying at his religious seminary in his home district of Budgam accused him of rape and molestation in 2013. A court acquitted him after a 21-month trial. This triggered a furore in Kashmir, prompting the state government to appeal against it in J&K high court, which dismissed the plea. Later, he was booked under Public Safety Act, which allows police to put a person behind bars without trial.

The swami who runs the Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam in Bidadi on the outskirts of Bengaluru is fighting a slew of allegations, including rape and cheating, levelled by followers.

In 2010, a video purportedly showing him getting intimate with a woman actor was shown on a local TV channel. Nithyananda went into hiding but was arrested from Himachal Pradesh. A case was registered and proceedings were in court when the state government and the main complainant moved a special leave petition in SC, which ordered a stay.