Asaram case: Gurukul warden moves anticipatory bail plea

The warden of Chhindwara Gurukul, who is a co-accused in the case of alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl by self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, today filed an anticipatory bail plea in a local court.
The plea, filed in the District and Sessions court here, will come up for hearing tomorrow.
Shilpi had allegedly advised the girl's parents to take her to Asaram to "ward off evil souls" leading to the sexual assault.
The petitioner has said that she had already been interrogated and there was no need to arrest her and she had no control over female boarders of the hostel.

Shilpi has also claimed that Asaram was just a trustee of the gurukul and hence had no direct control over the hostel.
However, counsel for the victim, Manish Vyas, claimed that facts mentioned by Shilpi were far from reality as there were adequate evidence against her.

"She was in constant touch over phone with the parents of the girl and also with Shiva (attendant of Asaram who is in judicial custody) ahead of the scheduled meeting of the girl with Asaram," said a police official.
Police are now trying to arrest the rest of the accused in the case -- Shilpi, Sharad Chandra (caretaker of gurukul) and Prakash (cook of Asaram), who was with him at Manai ashram on the night of incident.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Ajay Pal Lamba had said that she was on police's radar and would be arrested at an appropriate time.
Meanwhile, the filing of bail application of Asaram in the High Court is reportedly being delayed due to indecision over the selection of lawyer, sources said.
Asaram's bail plea was earlier rejected by the District and Sessions court.