Asaram`s ashram demolished in Rajasthan

Zee Media Bureau/ Kamna Arora

Jaipur: The troubles of spiritual guru Asaram Bapu, arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl, are far from being over. A part of Asaram`s ashram was demolished by the district administration of Bhilwara district in Rajasthan on Thursday. The ashram had encroached over 4 `bighas` of government land near Harni Khurd area. According to a senior official, the ashram was allotted three `bigha` land few years back, but it illegally covered the surrounding land. District Collector Onkar Singh said,"We have recovered the government land from the ashram and covered it with a boundary wall." The action was taken after a complaint, he said. Local tehsildar was asked by the Collector to prepare a report over the issue. Later, the tehsildar and a revenue official found that 4.6 `bigha` of land had been encroached. Asaram, 72, is currently lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail after a court sent him to 14-day judicial custody last week. The 16-year-old girl alleged that the sexual assault took place on August 15 at Asaram`s ashram outside Jodhpur city and the complaint was filed by her on August 20. The spiritual guru has denied the charge. Police, however, claimed they had a water-tight case against him. (With PTI inputs)