In a shocking case from Pune’s Sus area, a self-styled godman named Prasad Tamdar, also known as Prasad Baba, has been accused of sexually exploiting male devotees. According to police investigations, Prasad Baba is homosexual and reportedly used mobile apps and mental manipulation to abuse over 15 men who trusted him.
How He Tricked His Devotees
Prasad Baba would ask for devotees’ phones, claiming that their problems were due to “planetary defects.” He told them he needed to install a compass app to solve their issues. But secretly, he also installed an app called AirDroid Kids — a tool usually used by parents to monitor their children’s phones.
This app gave him complete access to the devotee’s mobile, including the camera, messages, location, and even what they were wearing. He would then use this private information to impress the devotees. He pretend that he had divine powers because he “magically knew” what clothes they wore or where they went.
After gaining their trust, Prasad Baba told male devotees to sleep with just a shawl for two days, allowing only three hours of sleep. When they fell asleep, he would perform sexual acts on them. When they woke up, he would say: “I’m taking your pain and problems into myself,” emotionally forcing them into non-consensual sexual activities.
Victims Finally Spoke Up
One 39-year-old builder from Dehu Road was sexually abused by Prasad Baba. Later, when the same thing was attempted on the builder’s brother-in-law, a mobile notification about low memory led to the discovery of the spy app. That’s when they filed a police complaint.
After this, 15 more young men have come forward to report similar experiences. Prasad Baba has now been arrested by Pune Police. In the last six months, Pimpri-Chinchwad police recorded at least five fraud or sexual exploitation cases involving fake godmen using similar tactics
A Modern-Day Fake Baba
Prasad had over 1.5 lakh followers on Instagram and videos showing him dancing with female devotees, gaining a huge following. His father had claimed to have divine visions and started the “Brahmandnayak Mutt” in Sus, which Prasad took over in 2022. He claimed to be a qualified CA student but used his position mainly to extort money and sexually exploit followers.
“The accused, a self-styled baba from Sus village, asked devotees to download a compass and then a spy app under the guise of removing vastu dosh. He used it to secretly watch their private videos and encouraged sexual acts in the name of rituals. We’ve filed an FIR under IPC sections, Black Magic Act, and IT Act. If others have faced similar abuse, they should report to Bavdhan Police Station.” – Bavdhan Police Inspector
The Bigger Picture: 10 Fake Babas Already Blacklisted by ABAP
In 2017, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, India’s apex body of Hindu sadhus, released a list of 14 “fake godmen”, demanding strict action against them. Among them, these 10 names stand out:
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Asaram Bapu – In jail for raping a minor, accused of murder, 3 witnesses shot dead.
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Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh – Convicted rapist and murderer, Dera Sacha Sauda head.
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Narayan Sai – Asaram’s son, convicted of rape, evaded police for months.
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Radhe Ma – Booked for dowry harassment, known for dancing and bizarre blessings.
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Sant Rampal – Charged with murder, skipped 42 court hearings.
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Swami Aseemanand – Accused in terror plot; confessed, later claimed coercion.
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Swami Sachidanand (Disco Baba) – Expelled for liquor business involvement.
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Om Swami (Bigg Boss 10 fame) – Assaulted women on live TV; launched a bra brand.
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Nirmal Baba – Accused of cheating, tax evasion, superstition spreading.
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Ichadari Bhimanand – Ran a sex racket under the cover of spiritual discourse.
Be aware because …
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This is not a case of blind belief alone.
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It shows how technology is now being misused by so-called spiritual leaders.
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Many of Prasad’s followers were educated, yet still fell victim to emotional manipulation and superstition.
