In yet another setback to self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, Gujarat Police on Thursday filed a chargesheet against him in the sexual assault case of one of the two Surat-based sisters.
In the chargesheet, Asaram was also accused of illegal confinement and criminal conspiracy. The elder of the two sisters who stayed at his ashram in between 1997 and 2006 filed a complaint against Asaram for raping her at his Ahmedabad ashram. Police have also booked five others in the same case including Asaram’s wife and daughter.
Asaram is already in Jodhpur jail for sexually assaulting a teenage girl in a similar case at his Jodhpur ashram. His son Narayan Sai was arrested for sexually assaulting youngest of the two Surat-based sisters at Surat ashram. Currently, Sai is in Surat jail.
Police found important documents pertaining to suspicious activities of 72-year-old Ashumal Sirumalani alias Asaram during search operations in Surat as well as Ahmedabad. His 40-year-old son was declared absconder by a Surat court earlier in December last year. However, Sai was nabbed from Delhi-Haryana border along with his accomplices and brought under Surat police’s custody through transferred warrant. later on he was sent to jail.
A Surat-based Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) was also nabbed with Rs 1 crore cash for allegedly taking bribe to help self-styled godman Asaram Bapu’s son and accused in the rape case, Narayan Sai. Surat police have also detained other five with nearly Rs 4 crore cash for allegedly trying to weaken the sexual assault case against Sai and Asaram.
Sai was also booked in another case pertaining to offering bribe to Government officials in order to weaken case against him as well as his imprisoned farther. For the purpose, Sai through his henchman paid Rs 1 crore to a Surat-based Police Sub-Inspector CM Kumbhani.
According to police, Sai had budget of Rs 13 crore for the purpose to pay hefty amount to policemen, judges and other officials related to sexual assault cases against father-son duo.