Asaram case: HC suspends sentence of second convict

The Rajasthan High Court on Friday suspended the sentence of yet another convict in the Asaram sexual exploitation case, Sharat Chandra, who along with Sanchita Gupta alias Shilpi, had been sentenced to 20-year imprisonment.

Chandra will, however, have to mark his presence in the court once a year till the hearing on his appeal against the sentence is completed.

The High Court had suspended the sentence of another convict, Shilpi, on September 29.

"Chandra will be out of jail soon. But he will have to attend the court once a year until the hearing on his appeal against the sentence is completed", said his counsel Nishant Bora.

A trial court had sentenced disgraced godman Asaram to life imprisonment on March 25 this year for sexual exploitation of a minor girl in his Chhindwara-based 'gurukul'. Two of his aides, Shilpi and Sharat, had been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.

The three had moved the High Court challenging their respective sentences. The two co-accused have got their sentences suspended while Asaram's application is pending before the court.

Two other aides of Asaram and co-accused in the case, Shiva and Prakash, had been acquitted by the trial court.

--IANS

parmar/prs