A man has been accused of encouraging hundreds of followers to be castrated in a promise for them to become closer to God.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, an Indian pop-star and telepreacher with a reported wealth of more than $50 million, is being investigated after he allegedly manipulated around 400 men to get their testicles removed – according to India Today.

One of his former followers who underwent castration seven years ago – named Hans Raj Chauhan – is one of the few to break the silence to speak out against him and the group.

“[The victims] were told that only those who get castrated will be able to meet God,” said Chauhan’s lawyer, Navkiran Singh, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Chauhan, 35, filed a petition against the guru in 2012 and the Central Bureau of Investigation has started looking into claims dating back as far back as 2000 in preparation of charges of grievous bodily harm. However many followers are believed to be in fear of speaking out.

In January, MailOnline reported how Singh, the head of the Dera Sacha Sauda organisation, had hit back at the allegations. At a press conference for his new film he said: “Such allegations disturb me, when I am doing good for humanity. Therefore me and my legal advisor are going to move the court challenging the allegations.”

The alleged castrations were said to be mainly carried out at a hospital run by the DSS in Singh’s ancestral village Gurusar Modia, in the Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan.

The DSS also owns factories, markets, farms, restaurants, hotels and runs schools and orphanages, according to Latterly Magazine.

Singh – who has more than 87,000 Twitter followers but is not a follower of anyone – describes himself on a social media bio as a “spiritual Saint/philanthropist/versatile singer/allrounder sportsperson/film director/art director/music director/script writer/lyricist/autobiographer/DOP”.

Online Editors