NEELAM DUBEY.

▮ Identity sealed · POCSO §23

Follower leader, National Spokesperson, Sant Asharamji Bapu Ashram

Ahmedabad, Gujarat

“Neelam Dubey is the national spokesperson and media advisor for the Sant Shri Asaramji Bapu Ashram who defended the godman in public broadcasts. Dubey, a former journalist, faced multiple legal complaints for her controversial remarks during television debates representing the trust.”

Neelam Dubey is a former television journalist and media trainer who joined the Sant Shri Asaramji Bapu Ashram in Ahmedabad as its chief national spokesperson and public relations director. Following Asaram's arrest in September 2013, Dubey became the public face of the ashram's defense, managing media interactions, issuing official press statements, and appearing on national news channels to represent the trust during the high-profile trials.

In her media appearances, Dubey adopted an aggressive defense of Asaram Bapu, refuting the sexual assault charges as a conspiracy orchestrated by political rivals and missionary groups. She argued that the minor victim was older than reported and that the allegations were designed to malign the ashram's charitable work. Her statements often led to heated exchanges on live television debates, drawing criticism from women's rights groups and legal commentators who accused her of attempting to run a parallel trial in the media.

Dubey's comments during these debates led to legal trouble. In September 2013, several Sikh and Buddhist groups filed criminal complaints against her in Delhi, alleging that she had made derogatory remarks about their religious leaders during a television broadcast to defend Asaram. Fearing arrest, Dubey petitioned the Delhi High Court, which granted her interim protection from arrest, directing her to cooperate with the police investigation. The controversies highlighted the high-pressure media environment surrounding the case.

Dubey has continued to work for the trust, managing public relations and coordinating media strategy for Asaram's pending appeals. She was featured in the 2025 discovery+ documentary 'Cult of Fear', in which she continued to defend the ashram's activities and question the validity of the convictions. Her career illustrates the role of professional media management in defending controversial public figures against serious criminal charges.