Nirbhaya's kin welcome life term to Asaram in rape case

The kin of the Delhi gang-rape victim Nirbhaya today welcomed the life imprisonment awarded to self-styled godman Asaram in a rape case.

"Asaram is a demon under the garb of sadhu...We are also feeling relieved after the Jodhpur court verdict," Nirbhaya's grandfather said.

Nirbhaya's grandfather said that during the tragedy that struck his granddaughter, Asaram had defended the culprits and instead held the girl responsible for it.

"We had realised then only that he is actually a demon who was portraying the image of a sadhu," he said.

On December 16, 2012, six men had assaulted the 23-year-old paramedic student, later named "Nirbhaya", in Delhi, triggering a nationwide outrage.

According to media reports, Asaram had said that the Delhi gang-rape victim was equally responsible for the fatal attack on her.

"Galati ek taraf se nahi hoti (mistake is never committed from one side alone)," the media had quoted the self-styled godman as saying.

A Jodhpur court today sentenced Asaram to life in prison after finding him guilty of raping a teenage girl in his ashram five years ago.