Asaram's aide surrenders in court

A close aide of Asaram Bapu surrendered in a court in Rajasthan's Jodhpur town Wednesday, in a case of abetting an alleged sexual assault by the spiritual guru on a minor at his ashram last month, police said.

Shilpi appeared in the court of district and sessions judge Wednesday and surrendered, said a police officer.

"Shilpi was accused of being involved in the conspiracy of the sexual assault on the 16-year-old girl at Asaram's ashram near Jodhpur Aug 15," a police officer told IANS.

She was the warden at a hostel of the ashram run by Asaram in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara area where the victim stayed and studied.

Asaram was arrested Sep 1, while his two other aides Prakash and Sharad Chandra surrendered before police last week. Asaram's close aide Shiva was arrested earlier for abetting the crime.

Shilpi earlier filed an anticipatory bail plea claiming innocence, but it was rejected by the court.

"After the surrender today (Wednesday), she was handed over to police. She will be questioned and produced before the court tomorrow," said the officer.

It is alleged that Shilpi had sent the girl from Chhindwara to Jodhpur on the pretext that an exorcism exercise needed to be carried out on her by Asaram.

Asaram has been booked under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and the Indian Penal Code. He has denied the allegations.

The spiritual guru is currently lodged in the Jodhpur Central Jail.