The BAPS Akshardham in Robbinsville is one of the largest Hindu temples outside India, but it has also been at the center of controversy.
Allegations of labor trafficking, unsafe housing, and wage violations have led to years of legal disputes and investigations. Here’s what to know about the organization, the 2021 raid, and where the case stands today.
What is BAPS?
Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, commonly known as BAPS, is a global Hindu denomination founded in India in 1907. The organization emphasizes spiritual living, volunteer service, and community building.
BAPS has built hundreds of temples worldwide, many of them large and ornate complexes designed to showcase traditional Indian craftsmanship.
Its temples — known as mandirs — are centers of worship but also cultural landmarks, attracting visitors and devotees alike.
The group has a strong presence in North America, with temples in New Jersey, Georgia, Texas, Illinois, and California.
The Robbinsville Akshardham, which opened in 2014, is among the largest Hindu temples outside India and has become a major religious and cultural site in New Jersey.
The 2021 Raid
On May 11, 2021, federal agents from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations conducted a raid at the Robbinsville temple complex.
The action coincided with the filing of a civil lawsuit by former workers who had been involved in constructing the mandir.
Agents were investigating claims that workers had been brought from India under R-1 religious visas, which are typically reserved for missionaries or religious volunteers, but were instead assigned to perform manual labor.
The Allegations
The plaintiffs alleged:
They were recruited from India and promised religious service opportunities.Many were Dalits, members of historically marginalized communities in India.Once in New Jersey, their passports were taken and they were housed in guarded compounds on temple grounds.They worked long days — often from early morning until evening — performing stone cutting, landscaping, and construction labor.They were allegedly paid as little as $1.20 an hour, well below U.S. minimum wage laws.
The lawsuit accused BAPS and several leaders of violating the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
BAPS’s Response
BAPS has denied the allegations, saying the workers were artisans and volunteers engaged in religious seva (selfless service), not employees. Leaders have said the workers participated out of devotion and cultural tradition, not coercion.
BAPS officials also noted that some plaintiffs later withdrew from the lawsuit, claiming they had been misled into joining it.
Where the Case Stands
Because the DOJ opened a criminal investigation into possible trafficking violations, the civil lawsuit was stayed in November 2021.
That stay remained in place until September 2025, when DOJ attorneys informed BAPS’s counsel that the investigation was closed without further action.
With the stay lifted, the civil lawsuit will now proceed in federal court, where the plaintiffs’ claims of labor and wage violations will be litigated.
The exterior of the BAPS Robbinsville Mandir.,
