Dwarka seer in fresh controversy, backs event hosted by dubious quack

HARIDWAR: The shankaracharya of Dwarka Shardapeeth, Swaroopanand Saraswati, has plunged into yet another controversy. The seer is endorsing an alleged quack, Kumar Swami, who claims to cure several incurable diseases and had released full-page ads in newspapers a few days ago about a 'dukh niwaran samagam' during which he claimed he will rid thousands of people of their sufferings.The shankaracharya is also reportedly going to be present at the event which kicks off today. Swami had earlier been in the dock over sexual exploitation charges and treating people without a valid medical degree.
The shankaracharya told TOI that he would be present at the event on Sunday, at which, according to Swami’s secretary SK Verma, over one lakh people will be attending. The seer also said that Swami was his disciple. “I am taking part in the event at his request and to give people my own message,” he said.
Asked why he needed to use another platform for it, he said, "Kumar Swami is working to the ends to which I work. For example, he is counteracting the move of Sai worship, which is adversely affecting Hinduism." He maintained that the allegations against Kumar Swami were false.
Verma told TOI that Kumar Swami had practised as an Ayurvedic doctor for several years in Delhi before taking sanyas at the Kumbh in Haridwar in 2010. The religious title of Mahamandaleshwar was conferred on him at the same time by the Niranjani Akhara. It may be recalled that this triggered a controversy first because the title was being given to a new entrant into the religious community, and secondly as he continued to be a grihasth (householder) even after becoming a sanyasin. Kumar Swami still lives with his wife and has two sons and a daughter, Verma said.
It has been alleged that Swami “bought” the title by paying a huge sum.
On the rape charges against Kumar Swami, Verma said, “It was levelled by “the wife of Sohan Lal, one of his employees at his Delhi ashram, who has been charged with embezzlement of many crores of rupees and has been in jail for about two years. The complaint of rape filed a couple of months ago at the Yamunanagar (Haryana) police station was found baseless and no FIR was registered. In fact, the police found that on the alleged date of the rape, Kumar Swami was not in India, but in London.”