Haryana plans to take over Dhirendra Brahmchari’s Aparna Ashram land
The state government will introduce a Bill in the state assembly during the ongoing budget session to facilitate the takeover of the assets of the Society.
The BJP government in Haryana is planning to take over the management and control of deceased Yoga Guru, Dhirendra Brahmchari’s Aparna Ashram Society in Gurugram in view of over two-decade long disputes between the members of the Society.
The state government will introduce a Bill – the Aparna Institution (Taking over of management and control) Bill, 2025 - in the state assembly during the ongoing budget session to facilitate the takeover of the assets of the Society.
The government takeover will also mean that a high valued and contentious chunk of about 24 acres in Gurugram’s Silokhra (Sector 30) which was at the center of a controversy following its sale at a throwaway price to private companies in December 2020 will also come under government’s control. An administrator will be appointed for carrying on the management of the institution for and on behalf of the state government, officials said.
As per the justification given by the state government for tabling a Bill to take over the management and control of the Society, the disputing groups of the society who were involved in multiple litigations were illegally trying to sell 24 acres in Gurugram for their personal gains.
“There is every likelihood that the moveable and immoveable properties of the institution may get destroyed which will frustrate the very purpose with which the institution was created. Therefore, for the management, administration, control and regulating the activities of the institution, it is expedient in the public interest to take over the management and control to achieve the aims and objectives of the institution and to fulfil the wish and will of Yoga guru,’’ reads the statement of objects and reasons of the Bill outlining the rationale for taking over the control of the society.
Swami Dhirendra Brahmchari incorporated and registered a Society under the name and style of Aparna Ashram in 1973-74 under the Societies Registration Act with the Registrar of Societies, south-east district, New Delhi for dissemination of knowledge of Yoga among the mases through education, research, training and dissemination.
Brahmchari also created an institution namely Aparna as a separate entity through an instrument of memorandum of institution and constituted its independent governing council consisting of four members including himself for carrying out the aims and objectives of the institution. The aims and objectives enumerated under the memorandum of institution empowered the institution to acquire, purchase, or own any movable or immovable property for establishing Yoga ashram, guest houses, carrying our agricultural, dairy farming, gardening, plantation, building health resorts. The Society was made for the benefit of the public at large and came to be defined as a public trust, the Bill reads.
For setting up the institution, Brahmchari purchased about 24 acres in Silokhra village of Gurugram in the name of Aparna Ashram with the help of donations, grants and financial assistance received by him from time to time from the Central government and vested the said land in the institution, officials said.
Thereafter, various buildings were constructed over the Silokhra land and various Yoga related activities were started there. The Bill said that after Brahmchari died in a plane crash in June, 1994, the Society got divided in two groups, one led by Laxman Chaudhary and the other led by Murali Chaudhry. Later, Murli Chaudhry removed one Subhash Dutt and KS Pathania of his group from the primary membership of the Society and these persons formed a group. From time to time, these groups enrolled persons of their confidence to increase their majority.
A controversy broke out in December 2020 when a sale deed for 24 acres in Silokhra village of Gurugram was registered by the naib tehsildar, Wazirabad for a mere ₹55 crore. Subsequently, a red flag was raised by the legal representative of the Ashram, Surya Prakash, following which an inquiry was ordered by the state government.
Officials said that it was found in the inquiry that not only was the land sold by the members of the society to three companies at a highly undervalued price, but the sale deed was also executed manually by skipping the electronic appointment process.
“On the basis of a memorandum of understanding for reaching at an agreed price, it is beyond doubt that the agreed price of the land of Aparna Ashram was ₹12 crore per acre which worked out to be ₹288 crore for 24 acres. Hence, the sale deed of ₹55 crore is grossly undervalued,” said a 2021 communication sent by revenue department to Gurugram deputy commissioner.
The sale deed was then cancelled by Gurugram deputy commissioner. The cancellation order was challenged by the companies before the Punjab and Haryana high court. But could not get relief.
Who was Dhirendra Brahmchari
The spiritual Yoga Guru who was an instructor to former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi was known as an influencer in the decision-making process of the Central government under Gandhi. He opened a number of Yoga training institutes in Jammu, New Delhi, benefitting from his proximity to the late Prime Minister in getting prime pieces of land. Brahmchari was accused of smuggling an aircraft from United States during the imposition of Emergency without paying the custom duty. He was also at the centre of a controversy for allegedly importing gun parts illegally from Spain for his arms factory. Known as Flying Swami, he died in a plane crash in 1994.
