NEW DELHI – A high-profile spiritual guru in India was found guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl at one of his ashrams in 2013, announced a special court in its verdict on Wednesday.
The judgment against Asaram Bapu, 77, was announced inside a jail in Rajasthan amid heavy security deployed in the area to prevent any violence by the self-styled guru’s followers. The court also convicted two other suspects and acquitted two.
“Asaram is convicted, we have got justice. I want to thank everyone who supported us in this fight. Now I hope he will get strict punishment,” said the father of the victim girl.
Asaram, who is in jail since 2003, was accused of raping a girl at his ashram, Utsav Bains, in Manai village near Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The victim was living in the ashram as a student.
The spiritual leader faces a maximum punishment of life in prison for the crime, said the local media.
Asaram runs 400 ashrams that teach meditation and yoga, and he has millions of devotees across the globe.
A case pertaining to allegedly raping two sisters is also being heard by a court against Asaram and his son.
The controversial guru is also on trial, along with his son, in another rape case in which two sisters have accused the men of rape.
Ahead of the verdict, Jodhpur police imposed Section 144 in the city to prevent the expected protests by his followers.
Last year, a special CBI court on Monday sentenced Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to 20 years in prison after his conviction in two rape cases.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/world/indias-spiritual-gura-ram-rahim-sentenced-to-10-years-in-jail-after-rape-conviction/
At least 30 people were killed and over 250 injured when clashes broke out in northern India after a court convicted a controversial religious leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of raping two of his followers.
