SHOBHA BHUTADA.

▮ Identity sealed · POCSO §23

Other, Chartered Accountant; Surat Police consultant

Surat, Gujarat

“Shobha Bhutada is a senior IPS officer of the Gujarat cadre who led the Surat Police investigations into Narayan Sai, seizing 42 gunny bags of financial documents that exposed the cult's financial network. Bhutada also supervised the operation that foiled a ₹13 crore bribery plot by Narayan Sai's aides.”

Shobha Bhutada is a 2008-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer who has held various key law enforcement positions in Gujarat. In late 2013, as the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in Surat, Bhutada was tasked with leading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the rape and sexual assault complaints filed by two sisters against Asaram Bapu's son, Narayan Sai. Her investigation took place under intense public scrutiny and constant threats from the cult's followers.

Bhutada's team executed a series of raids on the cult's properties, resulting in the seizure of 42 gunny bags containing roughly 58,000 financial documents, diaries, and ledgers from a house linked to Asaram's financial manager. To decode this massive cache, Bhutada hired professional chartered accountants, including Shobha Bhutada (consultant), uncovering a Rs 10,000 crore empire consisting of illegal money lending, tax evasion, and benami land holdings. This financial investigation provided critical evidence of the cult's resources.

Bhutada was also instrumental in exposing the Rs 13 crore bribery plot initiated by Narayan Sai's aides while he was in custody. When Sai's representatives attempted to offer a bribe to Surat police officers to destroy evidence, Bhutada supervised a sting operation that led to the arrest of the primary conspirators, including a local police sub-inspector, and the seizure of Rs 5 crore in cash. This successful operation prevented the subversion of the trial and strengthened the prosecution's case.

Throughout the investigation, Bhutada and her team faced severe death threats and harassment from Asaram's followers, requiring additional security measures. Her professional handling of the case was widely praised by senior police officials and the media, serving as a model for complex investigations involving influential spiritual leaders. She continues her career in the Gujarat Police, holding senior administrative and operational roles.