Asaram Bapu: On Monday, a Gujarat court found self-proclaimed spiritual leader Asaram Bapu guilty of sexual assault that took place a decade ago. The victim, a woman from Surat, had accused Bapu of repeatedly raping her at his ashram in Motera, Ahmedabad. The Gandhinagar sessions court, which reached the verdict, will announce the sentence in the case on Tuesday.
Asaram Bapu accused of several crimes
According to the FIR filed at the Chandkheda police station in Ahmedabad, Asaram Bapu reportedly committed many acts of sexual assault on the woman between 2001 and 2006 when she was residing at his ashram outside of the city. Asaram Bapu was accused of various crimes, including sexual harassment, trafficking, rape, criminal intimidation, and criminal conspiracy, under sections 342, 354A, 370(4), 376, 506, and 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code.
Additionally, Asaram’s son Narayan Sai was also accused in the case, along with Asaram’s wife Lakshmi, daughter Bharati, and four female followers named Dhruvben, Nirmala, Jassi, and Meera. However, all of these individuals were acquitted by the Gandhinagar court.
What is the controversy about?
Asaram Bapu is serving time in a Jodhpur prison after being convicted of sexual assault in 2018 by a Jodhpur court. The verdict was for the rape of a 16-year-old girl in his ashram in 2013.
The 77-year-old spiritual leader was found guilty under IPC Section 376, the POCSO Act and the JJ Act. He was taken into custody in Indore in August 2013 and transferred to Jodhpur the following month.-
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