Principal held for issuing fake certificate to girl assaulted by Asaram

 The principal of a school in Shahjahanpur district has been arrested for issuing a fake age certificate for the minor girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted by self-styled godman Asaram, police said on Saturday.

Pilibhit: The principal of a school in Shahjahanpur district has been arrested for issuing a fake age certificate for the minor girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted by self-styled godman Asaram, police said on Saturday.

Sant Kripal, the principal of Sant Vivekanand Public School, was arrested for issuing the fake age certificate for the victim, Circle Officer Rajeshwar Singh said.

He said the certificate was issued several months back and it showed that the victim was not a minor.

Singh said the victim's father had lodged a complaint with the police claiming that the document issued by the principal was fake as his daughter was still a minor.

"An inquiry was conducted and the certificate was found to be fake. Kripal was arrested and sent to jail last evening," he said.

Asaram (76), who is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail, was arrested from his Indore ashram on September 1, 2013 on charges of sexually abusing the 16-year-old girl.

During trial in a Jodhpur court, he had been repeatedly contending that the victim was an adult and not a minor as it was being claimed.

Later, Asaram moved the Supreme Court which too refused to grant him bail on health grounds as his medical condition was found to be stable.

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