Sexual abuse complaints with impunity against Sathya Sai Baba

It is interesting to note that the allegations put forward in signed letters to the Sathya Sai Organization by Mrs. Payne in 1980 (shown below with comments) were never legally pursued as libel by Sathya Sai Baba or any of his institutions. Nor has Sathya Sai Baba or his minions ever dared to take any one of the many who testify to sexual abuse by him into court, or any other of his critics. If he is innocent this could be a simple way to clear his name.. and he certainly does not lack the funds or the influence over the judicial system and Government to ensure he had a fair trial. If such a trial were to occur, the full facts and testimonials – and affidavits which are still held – would come to light, and witnesses claiming they were abused by him could then stand forth under foreign ambassadorial protection. Of course, he would have to try to prosecute those who testified against him in their own countries, which would give him and his organization media coverage they evidently cannot risk and also considerable legal difficulties.

Since the allegations first arose, Sathya Sai Baba has stayed within India – despite his diverse promises to visit various foreign countries (more unkept promises) – where he has massive legal, governmental, judicial and police protection. Against this no Indian or foreigner who would challenge him if they had the opportunity can hope to get him tried for anything as such a trial can only take place in India, where he remains! Those defenders of his who complain so loudly that he has never been convicted of anything know this full well, and their whole denial of his responsibility rests on the impunity he benefits from as long as he stays within India.

First letter from Mrs. Payne to the Sathya Sai organization c/o Dr. John Hislop 9/11/2000. Name: Diana Hometown: CA Sent: 5:10 AM – 9/11/2000 (11 sep.) My son was in Sai Baba’s College in the late 1970s. He and friends were molested by Sai Baba. Sai Baba told me to bring him to his school when he was 15 which my husband and I did (stupidly). This all came out in 1980, I was devastated, I had been a devotee for 10 years and never believed the allegations about his molesting the boys in the school. I knew that he told many men to drop their pants so that he could rub oil or vibuti on their penises, as he said to control their sexual urges. I wrote many letters to the Sai organization in the US at that time (I knew Hislop, and others on the board personally, in fact my husband was on the board!) Of course everyone said that I was lying and that my son was also lying. Now I tell people who are interested in Sai Baba to be really careful, then tell them the whole story if they want to know. I’ve seen Baba grab at my son’s crotch when we went into the interview room. My son said Baba is “teaching or testing”. Sai Baba told me he would be a father to my son only to molest him. I also know that he fakes miracles and have seen him rumaging for articles to pass out. I had many many interviews with him in the 1970s. I can hardly believe that I was once involved so deeply in such a horrible organization. My advice, always look for the guru within yourself, know yourself. Thank you all for putting together web sites to expose the fraud that is Sai Baba. Sai Baba devotees are truly fine people for the most part just looking for love and truth in life. I feel great compassion for them when they find out the truth about him. I know the devastation they can feel. If anyone wants to contact me personally I will talk to you about this.” ______________________________________________________ A second letter from Diana Scott was sent on 17-11-2000, as follows:- “I was an American Sai Baba devotee for 10 years from 1970-1980. I traveled to Bangalore and Puttaparthi 5 times during that period. My family and I had many interviews with Baba. Sai Baba told me to bring my son to his college in India when he was 15. My son was at his college from 1977 to 1980. In 1980 my son told me that Sai Baba was a homosexual. He said that Sai Baba tried to have oral sex with him. I had heard stories before about his relations with the college boys but didn’t believe them. I actually saw Sai Baba grab at my son’s crotch as he walked ahead of me into the interview room one time. Later I asked my son what was happening, why did Baba do that. He said “Baba is teaching or testing”. In 1980 I wrote letters to the Sai organization in the US asking for help and an explanation for Baba’s actions. I knew many of the Board members personally. Of course they all said that both my son and myself were lying. I was absolutely devastated by the whole situation. How could God do such a thing! Sai Baba told me that when I left my son at his school in India that he (SB) would be his father! It’s twenty years later now and I still feel some of that pain. Now I’m able to read the other accounts and it makes me realize that I must tell what happened to my family. When I first learned of Sai Baba I heard first person accounts about him asking men to drop their pants and then he would rub vibuti or oil on their penis to help them control their sexual appetites. This seemed strange to me at the time but I rationalized this activity as something I could not understand about divinity. I also read Tal Brooke’s book and dismissed it. In addition I received a phone call in 1975 from an Indian ex-devotee who told me he caught Baba in bed with his son (I hung up on the man!). There of course are many more details to my account. If anyone would like to talk to me personally about this I will do so. I am glad to say that my son is now a happily married man with children. I’m still capable of feeling a bit emotional about what happened with Baba but now it’s a relatively minor thing compared to the rest of my life. I thought when I got out of the Baba movement that it couldn’t possibly last this long. Recently I found out about the murders at the ashram, very shocking to me. I am a teacher with many interests in my life. But I’ve decided, since I was so involved during this early period, to devote time talking with others who may be experiencing the pain of separation from the Baba movement and to tell my story. Diana” (hummbird1@excite.com)

Comment: This letter speaks for itself very cogently – except to most of those whose minds are already so impregnated with the indoctrination of Sai Baba about him being holy, divine, pure, God, the Creator, omniscient, omnipotent and what have you… Living within a hall of mirrors and imagining it to be the anteroom to eternal happiness and salvation from the entire world and its tribulations makes it very hard to smash through the walls. But Terry Scott did, and his mother too… and it is clear why. Otherwise there would be no reason for him to have left the college or her to challenge the Organization. Had they been the only ones, one might have thought there could be some other explanation, but Scott’s testimony was one of over 20 more who have openly claimed sexual abuse, most in physically signed testimonies.It is clear that Mrs. Payne could not pursue the matter legally in India where, as everyone involved knows, the local police are in the pay of the Sai Baba ashram authorities and a decisive section of the judiciary are under the thumb of Sathya Sai Baba, who has dozens of judges from the High Court and Supreme Court as his foot-kissing devotees! Add to that how Sai Baba was protected from prosecution in the 1993 cold-blooded murders incidents by the Home Minister S.B. Chavan who stopped the CBI investigation in its tracks – and how he was defended in writing but without a shred of investigated evidence by the Prime Minister Vajpayee and the top Supreme Court judge Bhagwati (also devotees) and one can see how impossible it is for any sexual abuse victims to pursue justice in this connection. The justice system in India is under all criticism for delays of years and decades, where often only money or connections can ensure cases get into court. No legal process proved possible in the US because there was no responsible registered body, no accountable Sathya Sai Organization and the one attempt to get a legal decision had to be self-dismissed. (See here) Of course, the front-line defender of Sai Baba and his organization etc., Gerald Moreno, in his intense denial of the facts for personal reasons tries his utmost to cast doubt on whether Terry Lee Scott was sexually abused, as he has done in heartless and insulting attacks on every single person who has testified to sexual abuse– including at least 30 instances by self-identified persons. He points out that the corrupt Sai College authorities dismissed Terry Scott “in disgrace”. Why? Because he spoke up… and it is taboo and verboten to make the slightest criticism of the one they all worship as the one God Incarnate on earth today. The consequences for this mini-empire would have been disastrous, as they are proving to be in a more gradual way due to the exposure of so many allegations of all kinds. Dr. John Hislop had been informed about Sai Baba being a sexual abuser long before Mrs. Payne wrote to him. He had been told by Conny Larsson, read this in detail here.

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See also the Supreme Court petition against Sathya Sai Baba thrown out by Sai judges
See the infamous letter by Indian PM Vajpayee and Supreme Court judge devotee Bhagwati – plus rebuttal by Premanand

 

Information on the Public Petition for Official Investigations of Sathya Sai Baba and His Worldwide Organization
See also Devotee attacks on the Sai petition and petitioners