YouTuber Gaurav Wasan Of Swad Official Who Filmed ‘Baba Ka Dhaba’ Accused Of Fraud

Few weeks ago a heartrending video uploaded on Gaurav Wasan’s YouTube official Swad Official regarding the tragic condition of Baba Ka Dhaba’s owners. The video showed the plight of an elderly couple who survived on the meager income generated by their food stall in Malviya Nagar, New Delhi. Due to Covid-19 induced lockdown, their income reduced to nil and their survival became impossible without any financial aid.

The video also endorsed a variety of food cooked by the elderly couple like matar paneer, mixed dal, rice, parathas, soya curry, etc. that were available in reasonable prices at the dhaba. In the video, the elderly owner Kanta Prasad was also seen weeping that he might not survive without help. Citing this, Gaurav Wasan mentioned the location of their dhaba and urged people to visit the eatery. He also pleaded people who cannot come personally to donate money online.

In no time, the video went viral like wildfire online. Comments started pouring from all the corners of India. Even Bollywood celebrities like Ranveena Tandon, Sonam Kapoor, Randeep Hooda shared the video asking their fans to help the couple. Delhi residents came out in support of the dhaba owners and flocked the eatery to increase their income. Food delivery giants like Swiggy and Zomato also took immediate steps to help their food get delivered to people who cannot come to the dhaba personally.

Huge amount of money came pouring from people and various organizations. This sparked a hope among people that these generous donations will help the couple alleviate their financial crisis.

However, things took a ugly turn when a YouTuber Lakshay Chaudhary claimed in his video that the money sought in the name of Baba Ka Dhabha never reached the elderly couple.

A video has been uploaded by Lakshay raising awareness how Gaurav cashed in on the publicity and did away with the money collected by him as a part of fundraiser for the couple. In the interview, the owner Kanta Prasad admitted that he has so far not received a single penny from the donations collected by Gaurav in the name of Baba Ka Dhaba.

This implies that Gaurav Wasan who ran an online campaign in the name of Baba Ka Dhaba did not transfer the collected funds to Kanta Prasad. Lakshay also pointed out that Gaurav deliberately furnished his own bank details instead of Kanta Prasad’s bank details to launder the money collected via donations.

Another allegation levelled by Lakshay claims that Gaurav reported only Rs. 2.25 lakhs of amount amassed by his fundraiser , however before the video went viral he had already managed to gather Rs. 1.75 lakhs for the Dhaba. This means that merely Rs. 40,000-50,000 was donated when the video went viral, which means that there is something that doesn’t add up. Kanta Prasad told Lakshay Chaudhary,

“I have not received any donation online. I have received financial assistance in the form of cash. I have even received donation made by Amitabh Bachchan. But besides this, I have received no other online donations,”

He added,

“I was being instructed by Gaurav to not share my bank details with anyone. Since the video went viral, I gave my mobile phone to Sushant. Gaurav has not given me any money, either in cash or online. Whatever he has collected, he is having it with him. Also, my bank account has been frozen.”

Ending the video, Lakshay Chaudhary asked Gaurav Wasan to upload the latest passbook details of his account in which he has exhorted money in the name of Baba Ka Dhaba and come clean in front of everyone.

Watch complete video by Lakshay Chaudhary below

Many Twitter users also made some serious allegations against Gaurav Wasan

Baba ka Dhaba is closed today because:

1) His eyes got operated yesterday.

2) The volunteers who used to work at Baba ka Dhaba have been threatened by Gaurav and his brother Karan that “roz yahin aaoge na, dikhata hoon tumhe kya cheez hoon main”.

Second reason is major reason.

— Madhur (@ThePlacardGuy) October 27, 2020

Hey @gauravwasan08 show the bank statement of donations you got for Baba Ka dhaba. You said it earlier you got 20 lakh approx but you gave Baba check of 2 lakh 33 thousand only. Why so ?

Ab gareebo ke naam par paisa khaoge? #SwadOfficialScam2020 pic.twitter.com/etzXDMU2VK

— Maggi (@JainMaggii) October 27, 2020

If Gaurav Wasan has blatantly cheated the old Baba ka Dhaba couple, then someone should file an FIR against him. All the money transactions will be investigated by the cops. This social media trial is pointless and it’ll die in a couple of days, if not earlier.

— Ishita Yadav (@IshitaYadav) October 27, 2020

Pretty sure this ain’t the first and won’t be the last scam if not inquired . The only difference this time was it went viral 😏

— Sid 🚩🇮🇳🚩 (@i_sid007) October 27, 2020

He’s so fame hungry that he didn’t let w fellow food blogger shoot Baba’s video on 7th October’s evening, when the original video hadn’t even gone viral. He didn’t want anyone else to get credit of Baba ka Dhaba. Such a lowlife. pic.twitter.com/usJcrN9BMN

— Madhur (@ThePlacardGuy) October 27, 2020

Oh my god!!!! I hope this is not true. This is why I never give any account number to donate, instead it’s better to just go buy from local vendors!!

— Vasundhara Tankha Sharma (@VasundharaTankh) October 27, 2020

Responding to the growing clamour on social media for proof of donations, Gaurav Wasan said that he will put out all evidence in the public domain.

“People who are asking for proof aren’t wrong in doing so, and I will put out all proofs necessary. These allegations have been made only to pull me down, there is no truth in them! I’ll soon be uploading all the evidences, and then people can themselves decide.”