Know Sant Rampal Maharaj, the self-styled godman of Hisar

Rohtak (Haryana): Rampal was born on September 8, 1951 in Dhanana village under Gohana tehsil of Sonepat district. His father's name was Nandram and mother's name was Indradevi. He got his diploma in engineering and worked as a junior engineer in the irrigation department but resigned from service which was accepted five years later on May 21, 1995.Since childhood, he had this fascination for taking part in kirtans, satsangs and bhajans. He was guided by 107-year-old Kabirpanthi Sant Swami Ramdevanand Maharaj.According to the baba's website, he asked his guru how one could achieve God and acquire mental peace. His guru enquired the religious practices that he followed. When Rampal replied that he kept fast, went to temples and worshipped Hanuman, Shri Krishna and Khatu Shyam ji, his guru said, all these religious practices cannot help one in attaining God, nor can given mental peace. He quoted Kabir and said merely worshipping idols won't help, otherwise one could worship mountains.His guru told him that religious rituals were part of a false web (mayajaal) spread by Kaal Niranjan (Brahm), who was the master of 21 brahmands (universes), who is also known as Jyoti Niranjan, the formless God (Brahm) in the Vedas. His consort's name is Ashtangi Maya (Prakriti-Nature) and their three sons are Brahma, Vishna and Mahesh. These five in tandem create Yogmaya (illusion) and have veiled the bhakti (devotion) of the Supreme God, Sat Purush. A philanthrophic woman named Kamla Devi donated her land in Karontha village to the baba for opening an ashram. Rampal Maharaj launched his Satlok Ashram run by Bandi Chhod trust in 1999.In 2005, the Arya Samaj openly came out against the baba alleging that he was denigrating the four Vedas and Bhagwad Gita, worship of cow and prayers in temples.The baba's ashram was attacked in 2006, during which one person died in the firing. Rampal Maharaj was arrested and sent to jail.On his release on bail, the baba went to Barwala ashram in Haryana. The local administration took over the ashram premises, but in April 2013, the Supreme Court ordered the administration to return the ashram land to the baba.On May 12, 2013, the Arya Samaj held a protest in Rohtak, in course of which three state buses and an ambulance were set afire. Nearly 120 people including policemenw ere injured. A youth and a woman were killed in police firing, but the protests continued, and a third person was killed in the firing.The baba's ashram in Karontha, Rohtak is presently locked up with police posted outside. There are cases of murder and attempt to murder against Sant Baba Rampal in Rohtak court.The baba was supposed to testify via videoconferencing in August 2014 before the Hisar court, but his supporters allegedly misbehaved with the lawyers.The aggrieved lawyers had prayed for cancelling baba's bail, and the hearing was posted for today by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Following today's incident, the High Court has ordered police to produce Sant Baba Rampal on November 10.