For 'Brahmgyani' Asaram, rape not sin; baba's close aide reveals: 10 points

Asaram has been sentenced to life imprisonment until his death by a Jodhpur court for raping a minor in 2013. Another case of alleged sexual exploitation on 2 Surat-based sisters remains pending

While a Jodhpur court on Wednesday sentenced self-styled godman Asaram to prison term for life until his natural death for raping a minor girl, two other women in Gujarat who have accused the 77-year-old preacher of sexually assaulting them are awaiting justice. The matter related to the alleged sexual exploitation of these two Surat-based sisters, who have alleged rape and illegal confinement by Asaram and his son Narayan Sai, is still pending before a court in Gujarat's Gandhinagar. Sai was arrested in December 2013 over the complaint lodged by these women.   

In the Surat rape case, earlier this month, the Supreme Court gave the prosecution five weeks' time to complete the trial. The apex court pulled up the Gujarat Police for a delay in completing recording of evidence in the case, saying that "it cannot go like this for months". 

Asaram, the man in the eye of a storm of his own making, reportedly appeared broken after his conviction on Wednesday and kept telling his legal team to "do something", even as arguments on the quantum of his sentence were being made. This was in stark contrast to how he had reportedly behaved with the victim in the case. Asaram had asked his victim, according to her statement, to 'surrender' to him, boasting that senior officials bowed their heads before him. 

Meanwhile, following Asaram's conviction, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that nobody is above the law and promised "appropriate action" on an activist's demand that two places in Bhopal named after the jailed preacher be renamed. Reacting to Wednesday's developments, the Shiv Sena said that the Asaram rape case showed that the Hindu religion needed an "awakening", adding that the conviction and punishment handed down by the court was a "big victory" for the rape survivor. 

Asaram was arrested in 2013 after a girl from Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur, then 16 years old and a Class 12 student at his Chhindwara Ashram in Madhya Pradesh, filed a complaint accusing Asaram of rape at his ashram in Manai village on the Jodhpur outskirts on the night of August 15, 2013.  

Here are the top 10 developments following Asaram's life imprisonment until death sentence in the 2013 rape case:

1) Asaram's victim sleeps soundly after a long time; plans to resume studies, says her father: It was after ages that the family of the woman, who was raped by powerful self-styled godman Asaram Bapu over four years back, saw her sleeping peacefully through the night, on Wednesday.

"I thank the Almighty, you have finally done justice and ensured that the 'dhongi' (fake) baba is punished," is how she reacted after the court in Jodhpur sentenced Asaram to a life in prison, the father of the victim told PTI.

On the night of August 15, 2013, she was just a teenager when 77-year-old Asaram sexually assaulted her. Since then, each day has been an ordeal.

"We were having sleepless nights in these over four years and yesterday night we had a sound sleep when we were assured that Asaram cannot harm us anymore," the victim's father said, added PTI.

"She (the victim) embraced her mother in relief and slept peacefully the whole night, which had become something rare for all of us in these tumultuous years," he added.

The verdict against Asaram did not just bring relief, it has also brought hope for the young woman. "This episode hampered her studies which she can start once again...we will want her to choose her field and will help her get as much education as she wants," the father said.

2) Raping girls no sin for 'Brahmgyani' like him, believed Asaram: Asaram believed that sexual exploitation of girls is not a sin for 'Brahmgyani' or a highly enlightened person, a prosecution witness had deposed to the court during the trial that ended on Wednesday in a life-long jail term to the self-styled godman.

Asaram also used to take medicines to increase sexual prowess, said prosecution witness Rahul K Sachar, an Asaram's follower, in his deposition forming part of the 453-page judgement convicting the godman and his two accomplices for raping a minor nearly five years ago.

Sachar, who was close to Asaram and had access to his 'kutia' or abode, deposed that he had seen Asaram molesting girls in his ashrams in 2003 in Pushkar (Rajasthan), Bhiwani (Haryana) and Ahmedabad (Gujarat).

For this purpose, he used to give signals to three girls, who used to stay with him, by throwing torchlight. On getting the 'signal', the girls used to take the targeted girls to his room in 'kutia'. He used to roam around the ashram with the three girls for selecting the targeted girls, said Sachar.

One evening in Ahmedabad, Sachar deposed, he climbed the wall of the 'kutia' and saw the godman molesting the girl. He then wrote a letter questioning why he was doing this to girls and handed over the letter to the cook. Asaram read the letter but ignored it.

The follower sent a second letter to Asaram, but he chose not to respond to it, following which he forcefully entered the 'kutia' and asked why Bapu was quiet on his questions.

The response of Asaram was, 'Brahmgiani ko ye sab karne se paap nahi lagta.' (It's not a sin for a 'Brahmgyani' or a highly enlightened person to do so).
 

3) After Jodhpur verdict, the pending Gujarat rape case judgment stares Asaram in his face: Two sisters from Surat who have charged Asaram with sexual assault are awaiting justice, with the matter related to their case still pending before a court in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The sisters had alleged they were raped and illegally confined by Asaram and his son Narayan Sai. While Asaram was arrested in September 2013 in connection with the Jodhpur rape case, his son Sai was arrested in December 2013. 

While the elder sister accused Asaram of repeatedly assaulting her sexually from 1997 to 2006 at his Motera ashram in Gujarat, the younger one alleged Sai sexually assaulted her from 2002 to 2005 at an ashram in Surat. One of the sisters also alleged that Asaram's wife and daughter helped the two men rape the women. 

In its chargesheet filed in 2014, apart from Asaram, the state police mentioned his wife Lakshmi, daughter Bharti, and four other women followers -- Dhruvben, Nirmala, Jassi, and Meera -- among the accused. 

4) SC pulls up Gujarat police for slow pace in Asaram rape case: The Supreme Court had on April 6 pulled up the Gujarat Police for a delay in completion of recording of evidence against Asaram in the Surat rape case and directed it to conclude the process within five weeks. The top court said "it cannot go like this for months".   

A Bench of justices N V Ramana and S Abdul Nazeer, which sought to know the status of the trial, was told by Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Gujarat government, that the victim's statement had been recorded. "The prosecutrix has recorded her statement. Only the star witnesses in the case now remain to be examined," Mehta had said. To this, the Bench had asked the ASG how much time was needed for examining the star witnesses. 

Mehta had said that the process would take two-three more months to be completed. "How much more time do you want. It cannot go on like this for months. You have to complete it in five weeks. List the matter in five weeks," the Bench had said before turning down Asaram's bail plea. 

Read our detailed copy on Asaram's conviction and life term in jail until death sentence in a rape case: Asaram verdict: Even if Brahma says he's rapist, won't believe say devotees 

5) Once proud 'godman', Asaram 'broken' and 'restless' after life term verdict: Jodhpur Jail Superintendent Vikram Singh said Asaram appeared to be broken following his conviction by the Jodhpur Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Court. "Do something", the 77-year-old kept on muttering to his advocates during the hearing of arguments on the quantum of sentence, according to Singh.  

"Asaram seemed nervous on hearing the verdict," said a police officer present on the premises of the Jodhpur central jail, where the judgment was pronounced. "Asaram appeared broken. He said he would now move a higher court," Singh said. Inside his cell, Asaram was restless and kept on lumbering for some time, he added.

Read what the court said about Asaram's actions: Asaram spoiled saints' image by his heinous act: Court 

6) Sena says Hindu religion needs 'awakening': The Shiv Sena said that Asaram's conviction shows that the Hindu religion needs an awakening. Further, Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe told reporters in Mumbai that Asaram being sentenced to life in prison until his natural death was a "big victory" for the rape survivor. "Any person can today call himself an incarnation of God, when he is not. Asaram proved this through his actions. His bhakts may have been unhappy with the verdict, but it was a big victory for the minor who was raped by him," she said, adding: "This verdict also indicates that the Hindu religion needed an awakening before and it does so even now."  

It was unfortunate that people who believed in the Hindu religion did not escape the clutches of fake godmen, she said. "One should only keep a relation with God and stay away from these middlemen," the Sena leader said. 

Read the details of the various cases and criminal allegations against the so-called 'godmen' of India: Unholy rap sheets of some of India's self-styled godmen  

7) Asaram rape case verdict shows 'even weakest can take on the mighty': IPS officer Ajay Pal Lamba, who had supervised the investigation in the rape case against Asaram, hailed the Jodhpur court's verdict in the matter, saying it showed that even the weakest can take on the might of the most influential as truth had prevailed.   

It is heartening to witness that if the law of land is implemented impartially, even the weakest can afford to take on the might of the most influential persons like Asaram, Lamba said in a Facebook post. "Finally truth prevailed. Justice delivered in Asaram Bapu case with conviction of accused Aharam in a case of sexual assault on a minor girl during the night of Independence Day of 2013. Judgment is a landmark in criminal jurisprudence in the country," he added.

Lamba had supervised Asaram's arrest from Indore as well as the investigation when he was posted as Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) in Jodhpur city. 



 

8) Officers bow at my feet, Asaram had boasted to the victim: Asaram appears to have thought that he was indeed mighty. He had reportedly asked the victim in the rape case, for which he was sentenced to life in jail until death, to "surrender' to him, boasting that senior officials bowed their heads before him.  

According to her statement, which figured in the verdict of the special court, the self-styled godman had said that she should give up her plans to become a chartered accountant and instead study for a B.Ed. He would then make her a teacher and later principal of his 'gurukul' (school), he had told her. What will you do by becoming a CA? Big officers bow their head at my feet, he had said, according to the survivor's statement.

The victim, a resident of Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, had gone to Asaram's ashram in Jodhpur with her parents for getting cured of an 'evil spirit'. She was a student, staying at a hostel run by Asaram in Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh. Shilpi, a warden there, had suggested that she meet the godman in Jodhpur.

Asaram met the family on August 14, 2013. He showed them his 'kutiya', the place where he stayed in the ashram, and talked to the girl about what she wanted to do in life. The next evening, he called the family and asked the parents to leave after making them recite some mantras. He then told the 16-year-old girl to come to his room and asked her about her studies, according to the victim's statement. He assaulted her, keeping her confined in the room for nearly an hour and a half. He then told the victim to remain quiet about the assault but the girl informed her mother.

Subsequently, the parents lodged a complaint against Asaram at Kamla Market police station in Delhi. This was later transferred to Jodhpur. 

9) 'Asaram Bapu bus stop' boards demolished: Following Asaram's conviction, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said places named after the controversial godman would be rechristened. Nobody is above the law, Chouhan said and promised "appropriate action" on an activist's demand that two places in Bhopal named after the jailed preacher be renamed. "No one is above the Constitution, the law, and the public sentiments. It is a country where the name of Aurangzeb Road has also been changed. Soon, we will take appropriate action on this matter too," Chouhan said.  

Bhopal has two places named after Asaram -- a road crossing and a bus stand, both located near the self-styled godman's ashram near the Raja Bhoj Airport on the city outskirts. 

The Bhopal Municipal Corporation on Wednesday evening took down and demolished signboards of a bus stop named after Asaram. According to the local body, all signboards and crossings named after him would be taken down and new names would be assigned to them.  

10) CPI-M demands justice for murdered Asaram case witnesses: Welcoming the judgment against Asaram, the Communist Party of India-Marxist demanded justice for three witnesses -- the self-styled godman's former aide Amrut Prajapati, cook Akhil Gupta, and Kripal Singh -- who were shot dead in separate incidents between June 2014 and June 2015. "Nine witnesses were attacked, of which three died... the courts should ensure that the other related cases, including those of killing of witnesses, should also be completed without delay," a CPI-M statement said.   

Situation peaceful in Delhi: The situation in the national capital remained peaceful on Wednesday following Asaram's conviction and sentencing in a rape case. According to a senior police officer, 4,000 personnel were on the ground to ensure that no untoward incident took place after the verdict. Security was stepped up in the Ridge area in central Delhi where an ashram of the controversial godman is located, he added.  

Dependra Pathak, the chief spokesperson of the Delhi Police, said the force was alert and in touch with its counterparts from other states. He said that they would continue to maintain a tight vigil.

Watch below what the victim's kin had to say on the Asaram verdict: 

With agency inputs