Zee Media Bureau
Jodhpur: A Jodhpur court on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of Asaram Bapu, accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl.
The prosecution had argued that Asaram may try to influence the witnesses in the case and said that investigations will be affected if bail is granted. The prosecution also told the court that the Jodhpur DCP got a threat letter over the arrest of the self-styled godman.
Additional Advocate General Anand Purohit, lawyer of the victim, said, “After considering all the points that were put before the jury, the bail plea of Asaram has been rejected.”
Meanwhile, the defence had argued that the victim was not a minor.
Asaram, 72, who was arrested from his ashram in Indore in Madhya Pradesh last week, sought bail claiming that police erred in booking him under rape charge, which is non-bailable.
He claimed if the minor girl`s complaint was found to be true, it would at best amount to a rape attempt.
Manan had told the court that the spiritual guru should be granted bail as even the alleged rape attempt was a bailable offence.
Asaram was on Monday sent to 14 days` judicial custody by a Jodhpur district court after questioning at a guest house of the Rajasthan Armed Constabulary.
The 16-year-old girl alleged that the sexual assault took place on August 15 at Asaram`s ashram outside Jodhpur city. The spiritual guru has denied the charge. Police, however, claimed they had a water-tight case against him.
(With agency inputs)
