A Rajasthan court in Jodhpur city on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of controversial spiritual guru Asaram Bapu who was arrested for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl, lawyers said.
Asaram, 72, is currently lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail after a court on Monday sent him to 14-day judicial custody.
District and Sessions Judge (Rural) of Jodhpur Manoj Vyas rejected Asaram’s bail plea after the prosecution opposed his application.
Public Prosecutor Anand Purohit told reporters here: “We raised issues regarding threats to police officials connected with investigations and also that two of his close aides are still missing, so he [Asaram] should not be given bail, as he can influence them.”
Asaram’s lawyer Jagmal Singh Chaudhary said the rejection of bail plea would be challenged in the Rajasthan High Court.
“We will approach the high court in a day or two after going through the order,” he said.
Asaram, who was arrested from his ashram in Indore in Madhya Pradesh last week, sought bail claiming that police erred in booking him under rape charge, which is non-bailable.
The 16-year-old girl alleged that the sexual assault took place on August 15 at Asaram’s ashram outside Jodhpur city and the complaint was filed by her August 20. The spiritual guru has denied the charge. Police, however, claimed they had a water-tight case against him.
Sources have said that Asaram remained restless and was unable to sleep properly during his two-day stay in a prison in Rajasthan. Asaram was kept in a separate room instead of the barrack, and mosquitoes troubled him during the night. “Asaram Bapu slept on a ‘chatai’ (mat) in the room. He sprinkled ‘Gangajal’ (holy water) in the room to purify the surroundings. A few prisoners looked after his needs,” the sources said.
Asaram was given milk and dry fruits. When he refused to take the food provided to ordinary prisoners, “dalia” (porridge) was cooked for him, the sources added.
Meanwhile, a 65-year-old self-styled godman was arrested on charges of illegally confining a 24-year-old married woman at his hermitage and raping her for over four months at a village in Central India, police said on Wednesday.
The case comes close on the heels of self-styled godman Asaram Bapu allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl.
Mahendra Giri alias Tunnu Baba was arrested on Tuesday after police raided his ashram at Neelkhand village in the district and rescued the woman.
The victim’s husband and mother-in-law also lived in the ashram and they allegedly assisted Giri in the crime, police said, adding that both of them were also arrested.
The victim got married to Vishram Banjara on May 3 this year, and soon after Giri began sexually assaulting her.
A case has been registered against Giri under sections related to rape, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation of the Indian Penal Code, police added.
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