A 15-year-old girl has alleged that Asaram Bapu sexually assaulted her last week.
A team of the Jodhpur police today reached the ashram of spiritual leader Asaram Bapu to serve summons in connection with a sexual assault case. A 15-year-old girl has alleged in her complaint that Asaram Bapu had asked her to stay back after prayers last week and then sexually assaulted her as her mother waited outside.
Though the godman is not in Ahmedabad, the police will serve the summons to the ashram office-bearers. According to sources, Asaram Bapu has been given four days to appear before the police for questioning in the case.
The Jodhpur Police has reportedly gathered crucial evidence against the spiritual leader. Police officials told NDTV last week that the description of the scene of crime matches with the details given by the girl in the First Information Report.
Asaram Bapu has also reportedly admitted that he met the girl at his ashram in Jodhpur, but has denied her allegations of a sexual assault.
The girl, who is from Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, has said that when her father brought her to Delhi to meet the spiritual leader at a camp earlier this month, he left without meeting them. Her father then lodged a complaint with the police.
The girl's family says they have been followers of Asaram Bapu for the past 12 years.
The 15-year-old had submitted a written complaint against Asaram Bapu at Kamala Market police station in central Delhi last Tuesday. Her father had reportedly insisted that the case should be registered in Delhi, saying it will be suppressed in Rajasthan. A Delhi Police official said a case was registered but was later transferred to Jodhpur.
Asaram Bapu was also severely criticised for his remark in the gang-rape case of a 23-year-old student in Delhi when he said the girl could have escaped rape if she had called her attackers brothers, and pleaded to be let off.