Jodhpur: Self-styled godman Asaram's bail plea in the sexual assault case will be heard on Tuesday. He was sent to 14 days of judicial custody by the Jodhpur Court on Monday. The police who questioned him for an entire day claim they have strong evidence against him.
Asaram has been lodged in the Jodhpur central jail where hundreds of his followers gathered to protest against his arrest. The police had to use force and lathicharged the supporters to disperse them from the area.
With some help from his followers, Asaram kept the law at bay for days but will be now facing 14 days behind bars in judicial custody. After 24 hours of police interrogation, Asaram along with his aide Shiva are in jail.
Meanwhile, a medical team has dismissed claims that Asaram has a neurological disorder. Police sources also revealed that 72-year-old self-styled godman has also cleared a potency test suggesting he could have an active sexual life.
Jodhpur Police DCP Ajay Pal Lamba said, "Claim of Asaram being unfit is found to be a lie. A team of doctors said that Asaram is mentally and physically fit."
The police even took Asaram to Manai farmhouse to recreate the scene of the alleged assault. They claimed that they punched several holes in Asaram's defence. Asaram had said he was not in Jodhpur on August 15 when the girl was allegedly assaulted, but the police said airport records and statements of the Manai farmhouse owner show that he was.
While Asaram said the girl never came into his room, she has given an exact description of the room where Asaram allegedly sexually assaulted her. Asaram also said the girl and her family had come willingly to hear his disourse in Jodhpur. But the police claimed that she was sent from the Chhindwara gurukul on the pretext of healing her through prayers.
Meanwhile, Trouble is increasing for self-styled godman Asaram. The Gujarat government has asked the Surat collector to impose a fine of Rs 18 crore on his Jahangirpura ashram in the city.
The self-proclaimed godman has been accused of encroachment in an area reserved for a water works project. "Action is being taken at government level as per court orders," Surat District Collector JP Shivhare told PTI. When asked if penalty had been recommended, Shivhare said, "It was under process."
The issue relates to 34,400 square metres of unused land, out of over 50,000 sq m the state irrigation department had acquired in 1976 on the banks of Tapi River to make a protection wall. Asaram's ashram had allegedly encroached upon a part of this unused by building a temple and a gaushala (cowshed) on it.
Anil Vyas, a farmer, filed a petition before the Gujarat High Court which directed the district collector to take possession of the land. Asaram, who wanted some time to challenge the order, was asked to pay Rs 70,000 a month at the district collector's office for the interim period. The Supreme Court upheld the order in 2012.
(With additional information from PTI)
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