Sexual assault case: SIT takes Asaram back to Jodhpur

Ahmedabad: Self-styled godman Asaram, whose police remand in connection with the sexual assault case lodged against him by a Surat-based girl, got over today, was taken back to Jodhpur by the SIT, which is conducting the probe. “Asaram was sent to judicial custody after his police remand got over today. He was then taken to Sabarmati Central Jail from the court,” Asaram’s lawyer B M Gupta said. A senior police official said, “He was later taken back to Jodhpur.” [caption id=“attachment_1187553” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Asaram Bapu. PTI. [/caption] Asaram was lodged in a jail in Jodhpur since August this year in another sexual assault case. The 72-year-old was brought to city last week on a transit remand from a court in Jodhpur and thereafter, quizzed extensively during the two batches of seven-day remand granted by a magisterial court in Gandhinagar. Surat police had recently registered two complaints - one against Asaram and another against Sai- of rape, sexual assault, illegal confinement and other charges as alleged by two Surat-based sisters. The elder of the two sisters, in her complaint, had accused Asaram of repeated sexual assault between 1997 and 2006 during the time she had been living in his ashram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city. The younger of the two sisters had filed a complaint against Sai, accusing him of repeated sexual assault between 2002 and 2005 when she was living in their Surat ashram. Meanwhile, arguments on the petition moved in Gujarat High Court seeking quashing of FIRs against the father-son duo would continue tomorrow. Government pleader Prakash Jani today brought to the notice of single judge bench of Justice A J Desai the conduct of Sai, who is absconding and forged his signature on the affidavit filed before a court in Surat. Jani argued that the victim had mustered the courage to file the FIR and the delay in filing it should not be ascribed to ulterior motives. Sai’s counsel Nirupam Nanavati said that the FIR is totally “false and tailored”. Asaram’s counsel Yatin Oza argued that the FIR was a “figment of imagination” and it did not inspire confidence even to a layman. He further said that the delay in filing it is absolutely unexplainable. Oza alleged that there was intense media pressure behind the case and police are investigating on the lines of pressure created by media organisations and lawyers are also arguing on the same lines. PTI