US authorities close investigation against BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham after finding no merit in caste discrimination and forced labour allegations: Here’s what happened
On Thursday (18th September), the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS) informed that the United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey has closed their investigation of BAPS and the creation of BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham. Swami Brahmaviharidas, head of the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, welcomed this decision by the US authorities and said that the allegations levelled against BAPS were false and that now their faith in justice is restored. Swami Brahmaviharidas said some people with “vested interest” had levied the false accusations and added that this decision restores faith in justice. “Satyamev Jayate! We build a temple with love, faith, devotion and a spirit of volunteerism… Some people with little vested interest file false accusations regarding when the temple was built, craftsmanship,” Swami Brahmaviharidas said. #WATCH | Abu Dhabi, UAE | BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir saint Swami Brahmaviharidas says, "Nobody had imagined and even historians told us that a beautiful temple in this region is unthinkable… His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, who has built over 1200 temples across the world, had… pic.twitter.com/IoFtQXbpWg— ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2025 “The US government carried out an investigation into the temple for 4 years and finally closed it, saying no charges were ever filed and no charges were ever true. This restores faith in justice,” he added. Earlier, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in the United States welcomed the decision. “The United States Government’s decision to end this investigation sends a clear and powerful message in support of what our organization has maintained from the outset: that BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham–a place of peace, service, and devotion–was built through the love, dedication, and volunteer service of thousands of devotees from all walks of life”, an official statement by BAPS Sanstha noted on Thursday. “The United States Government’s decision to end this investigation sends a clear and powerful message in support of what our organization has maintained from the outset: that BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham–a place of peace, service, and devotion–was built through the love, dedication, and volunteer service of thousands of devotees from all walks of life”, the statement said. BAPS noted in the official statement how its spiritual teachings have long emphasised that in the face of adversity, one must maintain faith and respond with cooperation, humility, and a commitment to truth and understanding. “As our scriptures have guided us for thousands of years, “Satyameva Jayate” or “truth will always prevail.” “This period has been challenging for our fellowship, but with the grace of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the blessings of our spiritual leader, Mahant Swami Maharaj, we emerge with renewed strength and deepened faith–in God and in the enduring spirit of this nation,” it said. Allegations of human trafficking against BAPS temple In May 2021, a group of Indian artisans in the US filed a lawsuit alleging human trafficking and forced labour and claimed they were confined and forced to work for as low as USD 1 on the construction of the Swaminarayan temple in New Jersey’s Robbinsville. BAPS was accused of luring labourers from India to work on temples near Atlanta, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles, along with New Jersey, while paying only USD 450 a month. Back then, BAPS denied the claims and said worship through seva is an integral part of Bhakti in the sect, and volunteers from around the world contribute to the same. The volunteers who take part in such construction activities of the temple regularly interact with people who come to visit. The Hindu organisation had also said the volunteers were regularly in touch with their family members back home. It must be recalled that the BAPS Temple in New Jersey was also targeted by left liberal newspaper The New York Times. In a propaganda piece published in October 2023, NYT claimed, “Federal law enforcement agents raided the temple construction site in 2021 after workers accused the builders, a prominent Hindu sect with ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and his ruling party, of forced labour, low wages and poor working conditions.” “Their lawyers said workers who were Dalit, the lowest rung in India’s caste system, were specifically targeted. A federal criminal investigation is ongoing, as is a wage claim lawsuit,” the leftist newspaper further alleged. This came even as it had been 2 years since the raid on the construction site of Akshardham Mahamandir in 2021 and no charges could be established. The timing of the caste discrimination allegations against BAPS came at a time when, caste propaganda and villainization of Brahmins was at peak in the US. The Anti-Hindu lobby in the US was spearheading this sinister campaign to push caste discrimination narrative. Many universities even added ca
On Thursday (18th September), the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS) informed that the United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey has closed their investigation of BAPS and the creation of BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham.
Swami Brahmaviharidas, head of the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi, welcomed this decision by the US authorities and said that the allegations levelled against BAPS were false and that now their faith in justice is restored.
Swami Brahmaviharidas said some people with “vested interest” had levied the false accusations and added that this decision restores faith in justice. “Satyamev Jayate! We build a temple with love, faith, devotion and a spirit of volunteerism… Some people with little vested interest file false accusations regarding when the temple was built, craftsmanship,” Swami Brahmaviharidas said.
#WATCH | Abu Dhabi, UAE | BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir saint Swami Brahmaviharidas says, "Nobody had imagined and even historians told us that a beautiful temple in this region is unthinkable… His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, who has built over 1200 temples across the world, had… pic.twitter.com/IoFtQXbpWg
— ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2025
“The US government carried out an investigation into the temple for 4 years and finally closed it, saying no charges were ever filed and no charges were ever true. This restores faith in justice,” he added.
Earlier, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in the United States welcomed the decision.
“The United States Government’s decision to end this investigation sends a clear and powerful message in support of what our organization has maintained from the outset: that BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham–a place of peace, service, and devotion–was built through the love, dedication, and volunteer service of thousands of devotees from all walks of life”, an official statement by BAPS Sanstha noted on Thursday.
“The United States Government’s decision to end this investigation sends a clear and powerful message in support of what our organization has maintained from the outset: that BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham–a place of peace, service, and devotion–was built through the love, dedication, and volunteer service of thousands of devotees from all walks of life”, the statement said.
BAPS noted in the official statement how its spiritual teachings have long emphasised that in the face of adversity, one must maintain faith and respond with cooperation, humility, and a commitment to truth and understanding.
“As our scriptures have guided us for thousands of years, “Satyameva Jayate” or “truth will always prevail.” “This period has been challenging for our fellowship, but with the grace of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the blessings of our spiritual leader, Mahant Swami Maharaj, we emerge with renewed strength and deepened faith–in God and in the enduring spirit of this nation,” it said.
Allegations of human trafficking against BAPS temple
In May 2021, a group of Indian artisans in the US filed a lawsuit alleging human trafficking and forced labour and claimed they were confined and forced to work for as low as USD 1 on the construction of the Swaminarayan temple in New Jersey’s Robbinsville. BAPS was accused of luring labourers from India to work on temples near Atlanta, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles, along with New Jersey, while paying only USD 450 a month.
Back then, BAPS denied the claims and said worship through seva is an integral part of Bhakti in the sect, and volunteers from around the world contribute to the same. The volunteers who take part in such construction activities of the temple regularly interact with people who come to visit. The Hindu organisation had also said the volunteers were regularly in touch with their family members back home.
It must be recalled that the BAPS Temple in New Jersey was also targeted by left liberal newspaper The New York Times. In a propaganda piece published in October 2023, NYT claimed, “Federal law enforcement agents raided the temple construction site in 2021 after workers accused the builders, a prominent Hindu sect with ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and his ruling party, of forced labour, low wages and poor working conditions.”
“Their lawyers said workers who were Dalit, the lowest rung in India’s caste system, were specifically targeted. A federal criminal investigation is ongoing, as is a wage claim lawsuit,” the leftist newspaper further alleged.
This came even as it had been 2 years since the raid on the construction site of Akshardham Mahamandir in 2021 and no charges could be established.
The timing of the caste discrimination allegations against BAPS came at a time when, caste propaganda and villainization of Brahmins was at peak in the US. The Anti-Hindu lobby in the US was spearheading this sinister campaign to push caste discrimination narrative. Many universities even added caste to its non-discrimination policy. In 2023, California State Senate in the US passed legislation (SB-403) that banned caste-based discrimination in the State, although it later vetoed.
Just as it has happened in the BAPS New Jersey case, the 2019 CISCO caste discrimination case also was dismissed after no wrongdoing was found.
In July 2023, over a dozen artisans, who were part of a lawsuit against BAPS temple in New Jersey, withdrew their names from the case. At that time, Rajasthan High Court Advocate Aaditya SB Soni issued a press release on behalf of the artisans under the banner of Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh and Patthar Gadhai Sangh stating the artisans were threatened to be part of the deep-rooted conspiracy to stall the construction of the grand Hindu Temple.
The volunteer stone carving artisans stated that they were made accomplices in the conspiracy but have rebelled against it. They have decided to withdraw from the civil complaint filed in an American court against the Hindu temple. “These artisans have made strong claims that Swati Sawant and her companions impressed upon them and misled them, using false temptations, to make a complaint against the temple management,” the press release read.
