Gurugram court nullifies 192-kanal sale linked to Indira Gandhi’s yoga instructor’s society Aparna Ashram

On March 28 this year, during the Budget session, Haryana government introduced and passed a Bill — Aparna Institution (Taking Over of Management and Control) Bill, 2025. The Bill was passed amid opposition protests, with Congress legislators raising concerns about its legal validity and jurisdiction. Despite these objections, the Bill was approved through a voice vote, and the Congress MLAs staged a walkout in protest. However, as per the Bill, before Haryana could appoint an Administrator and take over the society’s assets, this settlement was reached. “We are looking into the legal aspect of this recent order,” a senior Haryana government officer said.

The land’s 2020 sale sparked legal battles after disputes arose over governance, authorisation, and criminal charges against ‘key members’ of the Society.

The disputed transaction dates back to December 24, 2020, when a sale deed (Vasika No. 6065) was registered, transferring the land — originally belonging to Aparna Ashram Society — to four Gurugram-based real estate companies — Radox Tradex Pvt Ltd, SS Premium Homes Pvt Ltd, Rosmerta Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, and Star Care Real Estate Pvt Ltd. The plaintiffs (these four companies) claimed they were misled into purchasing the land based on false representations of legal authority made by members of the Society and associated parties.

During the proceedings on July 12, 2025, the court recorded a mutual settlement between the plaintiffs and the defendants (Aparna Ashram Society), represented by its remaining valid members – Ashok Kumar, SP Verma, and Himanshu Sharma. They agreed to return the funds remaining in the Society’s account and acknowledged that the sale was invalid. The Defendants from the Society and associated firm Shree Damodar Corporation also expressed no objection to the cancellation of the sale deed. In turn, the plaintiff companies agreed not to pursue any further legal action for recovery of funds already appropriated.

In it’s final order passed the same day (the copy of the order accessed by The Indian Express), the court ordered the Sub-Registrar, Wazirabad, to officially cancel the sale deed and mark it as “null and void in public records”. All agreements, MoUs, and related documents linked to the transaction were declared “cancelled and ineffective”. The remaining funds in the Society’s frozen account were directed to be “restored to the plaintiff companies”. The Judge also directed “refund of court fees to the plaintiffs” under Section 21 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.

FIRs and arrests

In 2023, the Punjab and Haryana High Court while dealing with this sale deed’s dispute had ruled: “It becomes evident that the petitioner has failed to make out a case for interference. The petitioner, if so advised, may avail alternative remedy in accordance with law”.

The matter escalated on June 2, 2024, when an FIR (No. 144/2024) was registered at Police Station Sector-40, Gurugram, on the complaint of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Badshahpur, following alleged irregularities in the execution of the 2020 sale deed.

The FIR was registered under Sections 81 & 82 of the Registration Act, 1908, Sections 177, 420, 423, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B of the IPC, 1860.

As per the court record, the individuals who were arrested and remain in judicial custody at Bhondsi District Jail, Gurugram include KS Pathania (Member, Governing Council, Aparna Ashram Society); BS Pathania (Member, Aparna Ashram Society), and Kailash Nath Chaturvedi (Former partner in M/s Shree Damodar Corporation). Additionally, Subhash Dutt, then President of Aparna Ashram Society, who was also implicated in the case, passed away on January 31, 2025, during his bail application pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The Society’s bank account, containing around Rs 26 crore from the transaction, was frozen by Gurugram’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW). The plaintiffs alleged that out of the Rs 55 crore paid, Rs 21 crore had already been misappropriated by defendants. Another Rs 9 crore was reportedly paid to settle the Society’s tax liabilities. Despite fulfilling financial obligations, the plaintiffs admitted that the sale did not confer valid title, as the executing parties were neither competent nor authorised.

Who was Dhirendra Brahmachari

Brahmachari, who was former PM Indira Gandhi’s yoga instructor, was also known to have influence in the decision-making process of the central government under Gandhi. He had opened a number of yoga training institutes in Jammu, New Delhi and had allegedly benefitted from his proximity to the late PM in getting prime pieces of land. Brahmachari was also accused of smuggling an aircraft from United States during the imposition of Emergency without paying the custom duty. He was also at the centre of a controversy for allegedly importing gun parts illegally from Spain for his arms factory. Known as Flying Swami, he died in a plane crash in 1994. The Aparna Ashram Society, originally founded in 1973 by Dhirendra Brahmachari, owns significant land holdings in Gurugram.