Swami Ramdev was initiated as a disciple by Swami Shankar Dev in 1995, who had set up the Divya Yog Mandir in Haridwar.
Swami Shankar Dev was the founder of Divya Yog Mandir Trust, of which Swami Ramdev is the present chief.
The trust runs several companies and institutions including the Patanjali Yog Peeth, which has been accorded deemed university status.
Swami Shankar Dev was 80 years old, when he disappeared from Kripalu Bagh, Kankhal ashram. Two days later on July 16, 2007, Acharya Balkrishna filed a missing report in Kankhal police station as case no 14/2007.
On July 18, 2007, the city SP Ajay Joshi and other police officials came to Divya Yog Ashram and opened Shankar Dev's room's lock.
