His empire includes hundreds of acres of land in prime locations in India's major cities, a flourishing business of over two dozen products that includes a clutch of ayurvedic medicines, incense sticks, soaps and shampoos besides spiritual magazines that net crores of rupees for him annually.
One of his ex-employee claimed that Asaram used to sell churans manufactured in his ashram, without any licence. At that time, he used to sit at his small Kutiya on the riverbank near Motera, which later on became the ashram.
Fear and violence have been Bapu's hallmark, as the attack on reporters and others displayed.
His diktat is enforced by his sadhaks, some of whom have also borne the brunt of his ire when they dared speak against some questionable activities in the ashram. They were terrorised and beaten up by their own fellowmen.
