Asaram Bapu sentenced to life imprisonment in rape case

In a rape case filed by a former desciple dating back to 2013, self-styled godman Asaram Bapu was convicted by a court in Gandhinagar court and consequently sentenced to life imprisonment on Tuesday.

The self-styled godman had previously been serving life in prison in another rape case, of a minor desciple, also dating back to 2013. Asaram is currently in the Jodhpur jail lodged for the same.

The case was filed by a woman who was previously a desciple of the 81-year-old. The registered case alleged that Asaram had raped the woman on multiple occasions between 2001 and 2006 while she was residing at his ashram in Motera near Ahmedabad. The court, on Monday, convicted Asaram for the same.

The self-styled godman was charged under Indian Penal Code Sections 376 2 (C) (rape), 377 (unnatural offences), 342 (wrongful detention), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 357 (assault) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

For aiding and abetting in the crime, six others, including Asaram’s wife Laxmiben, their daughter, and four disciples were named as accused. The aforementioned accused were acquitted by the court.

On Tuesday, Sessions court judge D K Soni pronounced the life sentence for Asaram after hearing arguments regarding the same.