JODHPUR(TIP): A special trial court set up at the heavily fortified Jodhpur Central Jail on Wednesday, April 25, sentenced self-styled godman Asaram Bapu to jail till death, finding him guilty of raping a teenaged girl in his ashram in August 2013.

This is the second conviction in a high-profile sexual offence case involving a self-styled guru after Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sent to jail for 20 years last August.

Special Judge Madhusudhan Sharma sentenced co-accused Shilpi and Sharad to 20 years’ jail each and acquitted two others, Prakash and Shiva. Besides, the court slapped a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Asaram and Rs 50,000 each on the other convicts, public prosecutor Pokhar Ram Vishnoi said.

“Soon after the verdict, 77-year-old Asaram and other convicts broke down. The court considered Asaram’s act under the heinous crime category,” victim-family’s counsel Rajendra Singh told media persons.

“A self-claimed spiritual guru has done the disgusting act of sexual exploitation with his teenaged disciple who had full faith on him. The convict should not be spared, and the maximum punishment be awarded, lifer to Asaram till natural life time, and 20 years each to his assistants who felicitated him in the act,” Singh said, quoting from the 453-page verdict.

“We had complete faith in the judiciary and are happy that we got justice,” the victim’s father said, adding that the family had been living in constant fear and their business had been hit.

Asaram sexually exploited a 16-year-old girl from UP’s Shahjahanpur in his Manal ashram near Jodhpur on the intervening night of August 15-16, 2013. The charge sheet against Asaram and the four co-accused was filed by the police on November 6, 2013, under various Sections of the POSCO (Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, Juvenile Justice Act and the Indian Penal Code.

But rape is not the only charge against Asaram. He is also facing prosecution in a Rs 700-crore land grab case of 2000 in Madhya Pradesh. The case pertains to 200 acres of land in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh.

Arrested in Indore and brought to Jodhpur on September 1, 2013, Asaram was under judicial custody since September 2, 2013. He also faces a rape case in Surat in which the Supreme Court earlier this month gave five weeks to the prosecution to complete the trial.

Asaram unsuccessfully moved 12 bail applications, of which six were rejected by the trial court, three each by the Rajasthan High Court and the Supreme Court in the last 56 months.

The city of Jodhpur on Wednesday turned into a fortress with the deployment of the RAC, RPF and the state police in strength. Also, flag marches were held throughout the city, DCP-East Aman Deep Singh said.

Several die-hard Asaram followers were detained early this morning from the railway station, bus terminals and in the vicinity of the jail. The Union Home Ministry had issued an advisory to Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana to remain alert.

SAINT TO SINNER

Aug 15, 2013: A 16-year-old girl accuses Asaram of raping her in his Jodhpur ashram

Sept 1:Asaram brought to Jodhpur, remanded in custody

October:Three women accuse Asaram and his son Narayan Sai of rape in Surat, Gujarat

June 11:Surat case witness dies after being shot at in Rajkot hospital

January 2015:Asaram’s cook Akhil Gupta, another witness, shot in Muzaffarnagar

May 13:Mahendra Chawla, prime witness in case against Sai, shot at in Panipat

March 14, 2016:Accused of killing Akhil Gupta, Asaram’s henchman Kartik Haldar held

Nov 6: Charge sheet against Asaram and four co-accused

March 19, 2017:Trial begins against Asaram in Jodhpur

April 7, 2018:Special court hears final arguments

April 17:Rajasthan High Court orders the special court to deliver verdict in Jodhpur Central Jail

April 25:Special Judge Madhusudhan Sharma sentences co-accused Shilpi and Sharad to 20 years’ jail each and acquits two others, Prakash and Shiva. The court also slaps a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Asaram and Rs 50,000 each on the other convicts.