Asaram Bapu should not feel nervous 'if innocent': Digvijay Singh

Taking a jibe at Asaram Bapu, accused of sexually assaulting a schoolgirl, Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh on Saturday said this running around by the self-styled godman Bapu was hurting his image.

"If Asaram is innocent then why is he feeling nervous? Law is equal for all. This running around is hurting his image," he told media here.

The police were today clueless about the whereabouts of Asaram Bapu, who is believed to have fled his Bhopal ashram.

As the Rajasthan Police personnel waited in Indore to question Asaram Bapu, his son Narayan Sai appeared said his father is unwell and not missing.

"Bapu has neurological problems and is being treated, not hiding or underground as being claimed. As soon as his health gets stable, he will answer all the questions that the Jodhpur police has for him," he said.

Meanwhile, Asaram Bapu's caretaker Shiva, who is accused of taking the girl to the spiritual leader Jodhpur ashram, surrendered before the police this evening.

The self-styled godman was summoned by Rajasthan Police for questioning in connection with a case of alleged sexual assault but he did not appear before them on Friday when the deadline expired.

Jodhpur Police sealed off the ashram of self-proclaimed godman on Saturday, following the assault on media personnel by the latter's supporters.

13 supporters of Asaram Bapu were today detained for attacking media personnel outside his ashram in Jodhpur.

On Friday, Jodhpur Police refused to give Asaram Bapu more time to present himself in connection with a case of sexually assaulting a minor at his ashram.

Asaram Bapu has been booked under Sections 376, 342, 506 and 509 of the IPC, Section 8 of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and Sections 23 and 26 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

Besides the summons served on Asaram Bapu, notices have also been issued to the manager of the Chhindwara gurukul in Madhya Pradesh, the hostel warden and the main caretaker of Asaram, who was present at Manai Ashram in Jodhpur on August 15, when the alleged sexual assault took place there.

The 16-year-old girl, who has accused Asaram Bapu of sexually assaulting her at his ashram in Jodhpur, hails from Uttar Pradesh.