Sexual assault case: Jodhpur cops visit AsaramUpdated on : 06-09-2013 07:59 PM
As fresh complaints came against Asaram Bapu, a team of Jodhpur police visited his ashram in Ahmedabad where they scanned documents and also questioned officials in connection with the sexual assault case filed against him by a 16-year-old girl.
In Jodhpur, a court directed that a medical board examine Asaram to ascertain if his health condition required that he be given special food from outside jail as claimed by him.
District and Session Court (Rural) passed the order while hearing an application by Asaram seeking facilities like special health food, bed, ‘Gangajal’ and some other articles for carrying out prayers in the jail.
“A two-member team of Jodhpur police visited Asaram Bapu’s ashram in Motera yesterday to collect evidence and check documents of the ashram,” a police official said on Friday in Ahmedabad.
“Ashram officials were questioned regarding details like the number of students studying in gurukuls (run by his trust),” police said, adding related documents would be handed over to Jodhpur police via post.
Meanwhile, Jodhpur police has said that it has received fresh complaints against Asaram. Many victims have started coming forward with their complaints against Asaram, police said without disclosing the nature of the complaint or the identity of the alleged victims.
They have also offered to help the police in its investigation. Police, however, denied reports that it is in possession of any CD or video clippings given by Asaram’s aide Shiva.
“We have not received any such CD or video clipping so far showing Asaram or any of his activity. We have obtained some evidence out of interrogation of Shiva and are in the process of its verification,” DCP Ajay Pal Lamba said in Jodhpur.
Lamba said that the case is under investigation and they are yet to interrogate Shilpi, the warden at the Chhindwara Gurukul where the girl was a student and an important link in this case, as she allegedly sent the girl to Asaram.
“She is on our radar and we will arrest her at an appropriate time,” he said, adding Asaram’s driver and cook will also be interrogated.
The controversial self-styled godman, accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl, was arrested by Jodhpur police after midnight from his ashram in Indore on August 31. He is currently in Jodhpur jail under judicial custody.
Asaram asks for special food, court orders medical examination
A court directed that a medical board examine Asaram Bapu to ascertain if his health condition required that he be given special food from outside jail as claimed by him. District and Session Court (Rural) passed the order while hearing an application by Asaram seeking facilities like special health food, bed, ‘Gangajal’ and some other articles for carrying out prayers in the jail.
The application was submitted to court by 72-year-old Asaram, who is in judicial custody following his arrest on charges of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl, after it was rejected by the jail administration.
Counsel for Asaram Maninder Singh told the court that he has been suffering from a “serious disease” for the past 14 years, which he refused to disclose, and has been consuming some special food to keep his health.
“He is not able to take the jail food,” he argued.
Opposing the plea, counsel for prosecution L R Bishnoi said Asaram has been consistently examined by a team of doctors in jail and has been found to be fit in every report.
“Hence there is no need of any special diet as per his requisition and he can easily go with routine jail meal,” the counsel argued. Judge Manoj Kumar Vyas posted the matter for September 10 with the direction that Asaram be examined by a medical board in order to arrive at any conclusion about his health.
Asaram’s troubles appear to be mounting with his ashram in Delhi being slapped with a notice by a municipal corporation for alleged non-payment of property tax since 2004.
“Yoga Vedant Samiti, a three-acre ashram run by Asaram at Upper Ridge Road in Karol Bagh area, was served notice on September 4 for non-payment of property tax,” a senior North Delhi Municipal Corporation official said.
During a situational survey of the ashram on September 2, the municipal officials had found commercial activities were being carried out there.
Meanwhile, mystery surrounds a letter purportedly written by Asaram and addressed to the court, in which he sought permission to allow a woman therapist to treat him two hours daily for some disease, with his lawyers saying that they were not aware of any such request.
“We need to check the veracity of this letter, about which we have learnt only from the court,” said Asaram’s counsel Singh adding, “we have our doubts about this letter”.