'A vagabond, not sadhu...': Juna Akhara expels IITian Baba Abhey Singh, says he was 'defaming us'

Abhey Singh, a former aerospace engineer from IIT Bombay who became a crowd-puller at Prayagraj's Maha Kumbh Mela, has reportedly been expelled from his akhara amid allegations of misconduct. 

Known as the ‘IITian Baba,’ Singh has faced sharp criticism from members of the Juna Akhara, who claim his behavior was unbecoming of a sadhu.

“He was defaming us,” a Juna Akhara member was quoting as saying in an NDTV report, adding, “He was a vagabond, not a sadhu. He used to say anything on TV. He was thrown out.” Singh was reportedly banned from the Akhara’s camp and its surroundings for allegedly using abusive language against his Guru, Mahant Someshwar Puri.

The Juna Akhara has denied Singh’s association with their community, stating he was not a disciple of any recognized Guru. They barred him “until he learns to respect his Guru and adhere to the Akhara’s discipline.” Singh, however, rejected these claims. 

Speaking to a news channel, he said, “They think I’ve become famous and that I might expose something about them, so they’re claiming I’ve gone for secret meditation. Those people are talking nonsense.”

Singh, who has over three lakh followers on Instagram, left his career in aerospace engineering to embrace spirituality. “Science helps explain the physical world, but its deeper study inevitably leads one towards spirituality. A true understanding of life ultimately brings one closer to spirituality,” he said at the Maha Kumbh.

The 36-year-old resident of Haryana claims his decision was deeply influenced by his tumultuous childhood.

Singh opened up to channels about his formative years marked by family conflict. “There was a mental health issue,” he said, referring to his parents’ frequent arguments. “The domestic violence I witnessed had a significant effect on me. As a child, you feel helpless and don’t know how to react.”

He recalled seeking refuge in solitude, often staying up late at night to study in peace after the household had quieted down. “That childhood chaos shaped my decision not to marry. I thought, why get married and face the same conflicts I saw growing up? It’s better to live alone and have a peaceful life,” he shared.