SHANTILAL VAGHELA (FATHER OF ABHISHEK).

▮ Identity sealed · POCSO §23

Family member

Ahmedabad, Gujarat

“Shantilal Vaghela is the father of Abhishek Vaghela who co-led the legal battle and public protests following the 2008 gurukul deaths. Vaghela has consistently demanded that Asaram Bapu be held accountable for the hostel's administrative negligence.”

Shantilal Vaghela is an Ahmedabad resident and the brother of Praful Vaghela. Following the suspicious death of his 11-year-old son Abhishek in July 2008, Shantilal co-founded the 'Vaghela Parents Association' to coordinate the legal and public campaigns against Asaram Bapu's Motera ashram, demanding a full investigation into the deaths.

Vaghela participated in the public protests that shut down parts of Ahmedabad in 2008, clashing with ashram supporters and demanding that Asaram Bapu be called for questioning. He testified before the Trivedi Commission, presenting arguments that the gurukul hostel had failed to maintain basic safety standards and had attempted to destroy evidence immediately after the boys went missing.

Following the tabling of the commission's report in 2019, Vaghela criticized the findings for clearing Asaram Bapu, pointing out that as the trust's head, the godman was ultimately responsible for the gurukul's operations. He continued the legal battle through various appeals, seeking to overturn the local court's decisions that blocked a CBI probe.

Vaghela continues his legal advocacy in Ahmedabad, working with his brother to keep the memory of the children alive. His role in the case has been documented in various media reports analyzing the public protests in Gujarat. He remains a prominent critic of the ashram trust, advocating for stricter government regulation of residential gurukuls.