Mumbai: Meet world's wealthiest beggar with worth of ₹7.5 crore
What's the story
Not all beggars sport unkempt hair, wear torn clothes, and roam around streets begging in despair. Some just make it a lucrative profession and become millionaires!
Just like Bharat Jain from Mumbai, who has been recognized as the world's richest beggar, earns an astounding monthly income of Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 75,000 and boasts a whopping net worth of Rs. 7.5 crore!
Family
Jain is a married man; supports children, brother, and father
Owing to financial instability, Jain couldn't pursue formal education, which is why he resorted to begging on the streets of Mumbai.
Today, he is a breadwinner for his family which includes his wife, two sons, brother, and father.
Per sources, he collects Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 2,500 in merely 12 hours by begging at prominent locations like Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Azad Maidan, etc.
Assets
He owns a two-bedroom apartment and two shops in Thane
If reports are to be believed, Jain owns a two-bedroom apartment in Mumbai which is worth Rs. 1.2 crores.
He has also ventured into real estate and owns two shops in Thane that yield him a monthly rental income of Rs. 30,000.
At present, he stays with his family in a 1BHK apartment in Parel.
Information
Jain's sons have completed education; family operates a stationery shop
Jain's sons have graduated from a convent school and his family members run a stationery shop. Despite accumulating a fortune (thanks to the generosity of Mumbaikars), Jain still takes to the streets and begs daily, disregarding the family's advice not to.
Richest beggars
Here are the richest beggars in India
Times of India reports that Sarvatia Devi from Patna earns a monthly income of Rs. 50,000 and even pays an annual insurance premium of Rs. 36,000.
Lakshmi Das, who started begging in Kolkata when she was 16 earns about Rs. 30,000 monthly.
Mumbai beggars, Sambhaji Kale has properties in Solapur and Krishna Kumar Gite owns an apartment worth Rs. 5,00,000.
Laws
Are there any laws governing begging in India?
Begging isn't a crime in India, however, certain laws in place allow states to detain and rehabilitate individuals found begging on the streets.
One of them is the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, of 1959, which says that instead of punishing beggars, help them with food, shelter, and vocational training to help them become self-reliant.
Also, using children for begging is a criminal offense.
Racket
The scam: Up to 40,000 children are abducted annually
According to the Indian National Human Rights Commission, up to 40,000 children are abducted every year and are trained into begging.
Not just that, about 300,000 children across India are beaten, drugged, and made to beg daily, shares the Commission.
Shockingly, the whereabouts of more than 10,000 of them have remained unknown to the day so far!
Information
Begging is a multi-million-dollar industry controlled by human traffickers
Children can't be punished since they are minors, which is why they are trafficked into begging. There are several inconsistencies in the law on how to deal with child beggars since most of them are toddlers that are too young to be punished.