In a stunning crackdown, Rajnandgaon district police have arrested self-styled “international yoga guru” Kanti Aggarwal alias Sonu (45), who allegedly used a spiritual ashram as a front for a drug and vice racket in Chhattisgarh.
According to SP Mohit Garg, the accused was arrested on June 25, 2025, after police raided his farmhouse-style ashram near Pragya Giri hills in Dongargarh. The raid, led by Dongargarh police station in-charge Jitendra Verma under the supervision of ASP Rahul Dev Sharma and SDOP Ashish Kunjam, was based on specific intelligence about suspicious activities at the site.
During the search, police recovered:
1.993 kg of cannabis (ganja) worth Rs20,000
Illicit drugs and syringes
Sex toys and objectionable materials
Foreign-origin electronic and surveillance equipment
Much of the contraband was concealed in a divan in the farmhouse’s verandah. The accused was booked under NDPS Act Section 20(b) and is now in judicial custody.
The man, known locally as “Yogi Baba Kanti Aggarwal,” claimed to be a yoga ambassador who had visited over 100 countries, run 10 NGOs, and received foreign donations. Police revealed he previously operated a “heritage yoga centre” in Goa, targeting international tourists under the guise of meditation and wellness.
Authorities say he had begun replicating that model in Dongargarh, using the ashram to host alleged “peace camps” where he lured local youth into drug use. Late-night gatherings of unknown men and women were a regular occurrence at the farmhouse, further raising community suspicions.
