Bhopal, July 5 : Ravi Shankar Maharaj, at the centre of a medical education scam involving bribes for granting accreditation to sub-standard medical colleges, may have thrived all these years with help from influential followers, including politicians and bureaucrats, and his efforts to painstakingly nurture a network spanning religion, education and politics across central India.

The CBI's first information report (FIR) naming the self-styled spiritual leader is the self-styled godman's first brush with law in decades.

Also known as Rawatpura Sarkar, the godman has influential followers, including politicians and bureaucrats, and his trust has never faced action despite facing allegations of receiving undue favours from government agencies, encroachment, rights violation of college students and harassment of woman ashramites.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has named the godman among 34 accused and one unidentified person in its first information report (FIR) registered on June 30, under section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) that deal with criminal conspiracy and bribery of public servants.

The FIR names several high-ranking officials, intermediaries, and representatives of private medical colleges across India who played a key role in getting over 40 allegedly sub-standard medical colleges recognition using bribery, falsified records, and manipulated inspections.

The CBI recently arrested six people including three doctors in the case of preparing a report in favour of Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Medical College (SRIMSR), Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The accused allegedly took a bribe of Rs 55 lakh from the college management for giving a favourable report despite shortcomings in the college facilities.

The CBI probe raises serious questions about the misuse of religious influence in academic and administrative domains.

Born on July 5,1968 in Chipri village, Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh, he was named Ravi by his maternal grandparents. From an early age, he exhibited a deep interest in spirituality, often retreating to nearby temples and caves for solitary reflection.

According to a biography published on the Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Dham website, he reportedly resisted going to school. When reprimanded by the principal for his inattentiveness, the young Ravi is said to have declared, 'What are you going to teach me? I will be taught by my almighty father.'

His mother, Ramsakhi Sharma, valued her son's devotional leanings but worried about his future. His father, Kripashankar Sharma, worked as a 'Gram Sevak' in the local panchayat and was frequently transferred.

To ensure stability in their children's education, the family settled with relatives in Chipri village. Ravi was the eldest of five siblings, and despite these early disruptions, his spiritual journey gathered momentum in the 1990s.

He gained prominence after establishing his base in Rawatpura village, Bhind district, where his teachings began drawing a sizable following. Over time, he institutionalised his reach through the Shri Rawatpura Sarkar Lok Kalyan Trust, which expanded into education, healthcare, and public welfare.

The trust manages a network of schools and charitable organizations across Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In 2018, he founded Shri Rawatpura Sarkar University in Raipur under the Chhattisgarh Private Universities Act, offering degrees in engineering, law, pharmacy, management, and the arts.

His institutions often interweave formal education with spiritual teachings, appealing to both rural populations and devout students.

Known for hosting grand religious gatherings, donning saffron robes, and maintaining ties with political leaders, Rawatpura Sarkar has cultivated an image of influence and reverence.

His proximity to power has led many to describe him as a 'baba close to the corridors of influence,' a label reinforced by frequent public appearances alongside ministers, bureaucrats, and elected officials. However, his ascent has also been shadowed by controversy.

In 2023, a woman accused the staff at one of his ashrams of forcing women into unpaid labour under the guise of 'seva' and subjecting them to mental harassment. While the police did not pursue charges, the Human Rights Commission intervened by launching an inquiry.

/IANS