Asaram's daughter distances herself from disgraced father, says she split ways with godman's empire 17 years ago

Gandhinagar: Distancing herself from her father and his empire, the daughter of convicted self-styled godman Asaram, stated on Friday that she had taken a different path a long time back. [caption id=“attachment_4445255” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Asaram Bapu. PTI[/caption] “The world outside believes that I am very much involved in the daily affairs of the ashrams, whereas the ashram management believes that I have been independent of the ashram for over 17 years,” Bharti told the media outside the Gandhinagar court. Bharti was at the court for a hearing where she and her mother Lakshmi have been named as accomplices in yet another rape case against Asaram. A Surat-based woman has accused Asaram of raping her multiple times between 1997 and 2006 at his centre in Ahmedabad. Four other women followers — Dhruvben, Jassi, Nirmala and Meera — have been named in the chargesheet for abetment of rape. A Jodhpur court sentenced Asaram this week to life imprisonment on charges of raping a minor. Claiming ignorance of Asaram’s future legal action, Bharti said: “The legal team in Jodhpur does not consult us. Whether they would go to High Court or not, they would take a decision. I have no knowledge.”