In 1994, Swami Ramdevanand Ji Maharaj selected Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj to be his successor. Sant Rampal Ji started delivering discourses and giving initiation to the devotees then.
Earlier, Saint Rampal Ji used to impart Satsang by going to every house and every village. But, as the number of devotees increased, there was a need to establish an Ashram. Then, after taking orders from Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj, Satlok Ashram Karontha was established by Bandi Chhod Bhakti Mukti Trust in 1999. Thousands of followers of Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj used to come here to listen to the spiritual discourses. Later on, Satlok Ashram Barwala was also established, and after the 2014 Barwala incident, several other Ashrams at different locations in India were established.
Karontha incident 2006
In 2006, Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj publicly objected to certain illogical and shameful parts of Satyarth Prakash. Satyarth Prakash is the central book for Arya Samaj which is claimed to be a summary of all the four Vedas, namely Atharvaveda, Yajurveda, Rigveda and Samveda, but the content of this book has no relation with the true and authentic knowledge of Vedas. Saint Rampal Ji pointed out these mistakes and published them in newspapers and books so that the devotee community themselves decide what is right and what is wrong.
Angered by this, Arya Samaj followers encircled and attempted to attack Satlok Ashram Karontha. Police was also present there, however, they were just mute spectators. There were about 10 thousand devotees present in the ashram including women, children, and senior citizens. Water and power supply were cut. No commodity was allowed to get inside the ashram. Not even an ambulance was allowed to enter the Ashram premises. On 12th July 2006, Arya Samajis attacked the ashram with stones, petrol bombs and fired on the Ashram. The followers of Saint Rampal Ji responded with aerial firing.
No media person was allowed to take coverage at ground zero. In this violent clash, an Arya Samaj follower was killed. Saint Rampal Ji was charged with murder and arrested. After spending several months in jail, he was released on bail in 2008. Saint Rampal Ji and His followers demanded CBI Investigation of the whole Karontha Kand, but it was not conducted.
Karontha incident 2013
On 7th April 2013, hon’ble Supreme Court granted the possession of Satlok Ashram Karontha to Sat Kabir Bhakti Mukti Trust. On 9 April 2013, the followers of Sant Rampal Ji went to clean the Ashram, as the ashram was closed since 2006. Arya Samajis again encircled the Ashram and started throwing stones on the Ashram. They did not want the Ashram to be reopened. The followers of Saint Rampal Ji did not retaliate to them. In addition to that, Arya Samajis threatened that they would come again on the 12th of May 2013, if the Ashram was opened.
The followers of Saint Rampal Ji continued to stay in the ashram because the Supreme court had already given the ashram to the trust. But as Arya Samajis had warned, they came on 12 May 2013 in large numbers with guns and petrol bombs to attack the Ashram. This time police intervened and placated the Arya Samaji goons. But thereafter no action was taken by the police or the administration against those who attacked the ashram. The disciples continued to flock the ashram. Arya Samaji goons continued their demands for the ashram to be vacated. The helpless Administration, then, issued an order that the Ashram be vacated to get the situation under control as the Arya Samajis were adamant about their demand. Then, Saint Rampal Ji ordered His disciples to vacate the Ashram in compliance with the Administration’s order.
Barwala Kand 2014
Saint Rampal Ji was wrongly accused in the Karontha incident 2006 murder case. The trial was undergoing. The session judge Sushil Kumar Gupta demanded ₹30lakh bribe from Saint Rampal Ji to end the case. Saint Rampal Ji refused it and filed its complaint with the Punjab and Haryana High Court. However, no action was taken on His complaint, rather, on 6th June 2014, the session judge cancelled His “permanent exemption from appearance” in court, which was granted to Saint Rampal Ji on 12th February 2014 and ordered Saint Rampal Ji to appear on 14th July 2014. Saint Rampal Ji appeared that day, but the work was suspended for some reason. As per the orders of the court, Saint Rampal Ji registered His presence via Video Conferencing room in Hisar Court. Then, some so-called Arya-Samaji lawyers forced their way into the V.C. room and started abusing Saint Rampal Ji. The RSSS security guards turned them out. Later, the lawyer and the bar association approached Chief Justice to file a case against Saint Rampal Ji on the issue. On 22nd July 2014, the High Court framed contempt of court case against Saint Rampal Ji when even the S.P. testified that nothing unlawful was done by Saint Rampal Ji or the members of RSSS.
The court had summoned Him for this contempt of court case on 10th November 2014, which, being ill, He could not attend. The Court, then, issued a Non-Bailable Arrest Warrant against Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj and set the deadline for Him to appear on 17th November 2014. But, this time too, He was ill. He was prescribed bed-rest till 19th November. His medical reports were also presented before the court but the Judges ignored them. The disciples of Saint Rampal Ji approached the Supreme Court. The Court fixed 20th November 2014 as the date for the hearing.
Despite knowing this, on the 18th November 2014, the Administration’s ordered the Police Force to attack Satlok Ashram Barwala. Thousands of innocent devotees became the victim of the political conspiracy and rage of police. They were beaten brutally and were forcefully sent to jail. In this barbaric operation by the Haryana police, 6 devotees were dead because of the expired tear gas shells used by the Police.
Satlok Ashram is now in the custody of Haryana Govt. Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj along with 30 of His devotees have been sentenced to life imprisonment by Hisar, District Court in the false murder case of His own 6 devotees(5 women and 1 child). All the convicts were sentenced to life imprisonment along with a Rs 2 Lakh fine each in both the cases. Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj, however, was acquitted of the charges of wrongful confinement in court on 29 August 2017.