Asaram Bapu likely to be grilled in sexual assault case

The Rajasthan police is set to leave for Ahmedabad to interrogate self-styled godman Asaram Bapu after another team, which had been sent to Chhindwara Gurukul where the girl, who has accused him of sexual exploitation, has been studying, gathered some vital evidences.

"We have got some vital evidences from the Gurukul and now we are planning to send the team to Ahmedabad to interrogate Bapu. He may be brought here," said a police official, adding that it is not yet confirmed that when this team would leave. "It may be on Sunday after the team from Chhindwara is back," the official informed.

Till now, the police has verified that the victim and her parents along with Bapu were present in the ashram on August 14 and 15 and the spiritual guru had left the ashram on August 16.

"Both in the basis of the statement of the girl and the call details, we have so far got the evidence that they were together in the ashram and now we are proceeding in the direction of collecting evidence that the girl was actually sick for past some time and that she was sexually exploited by Bapu in the name of anushthan," the official added.

A first information report was lodged against Asaram for allegedly raping the 15-year-old girl in his ashram. However, a spokesperson of his ashram claimed the Asaram was innocent and was being implicated.

The controversial spiritual guru had earlier been in the news when two children living in his ashram in Gujarat had gone missing and were suspected to have been killed.