In a massive development, Gandhinagar Sessions court on Tuesday sentenced self-styled godman Asaram to life imprisonment in a rape case registered against him in 2013. He was convicted in the case on Monday.
What is the case?
On Monday, Sessions court judge DK Soni acquitted six other accused, including Asaram's wife Laxmiben, their daughter, and four disciples who were accused of aiding and abetting the crime, for want of evidence, the prosecution said. Asaram's lawyer was quoted saying that the session court's order will be challenged in the Gujarat High Court.
Coming to Asaram 2013 rape case, the victim's younger sister was raped and illegally confined by Asaram's son Narayan Sai. Sai was sentenced to life imprisonment by a sessions court in Surat in April 2019 in the rape case filed against him by his former disciple in 2013. As per the FIR (First Information Report) registered at Chandkheda police station in Ahmedabad on October 6, 2013, against Asaram Bapu and six others, the self-styled godman had raped the woman disciple, who hailed from Surat, on several occasions from 2001 to 2006 when she was living at his ashram at Motera near Ahmedabad before she managed to escape. A chargesheet was filed in July 2014.
While Asaram is presently in Jodhpur jail following conviction in another rape case, a separate trial against Narayan Sai is going on in the Surat court. Two sisters had filed complaint against Asaram and his son, alleging that between 1997 to 2006, they were raped at the Motera Ashram run by Asaram and his son. The younger sister had lodged a complaint against Narayan Sai and the older against Asaram.
Asaram convicted in Gujarat rape case
(This is a developing story)