‘Asaram Bapu a Habitual Offender': Prosecution Seeks Life Imprisonment for 'Godman' in Rape Case

Ahmedabad: In more trouble for 81-year-old religious preacher Asaram Bapu, the prosecution on Tuesday told the sessions court in Gandhinagar that he is a "habitual offender" and sought life imprisonment along with a heavy fine for the self-styled godman in a case of rape filed against him. Sessions court judge D K Soni concluded hearing the arguments on the quantum of sentence and reserved the final order for 3.30 pm, special public prosecutor RC Kodekar said. The 81-year-old godman is currently lodged in a Jodhpur jail, where he is serving a life sentence in another case of raping a minor girl at his ashram in Rajasthan in 2013.

The court at Gandhinagar in Gujarat on Monday convicted Asaram in a case registered in 2013 for raping a woman disciple, who hailed from Surat, on several occasions from 2001 to 2006 when she was living at his ashram at Motera near Ahmedabad.

"There is a provision of maximum life imprisonment or 10 years in jail for the offence for which Asaram has been convicted by the court. But, we have argued that he has already been convicted in another similar case in Jodhpur, and hence he is a habitual offender," Kodekar told reporters outside the court after the conclusion of the arguments. He demanded that Asaram be considered a habitual offender and given the strictest punishment.

"We have submitted before the court that Asaram should get the strictest punishment for the way he kept the victim captive, raped and sodomized her, and forced her to remain confined in the ashram. We told the court that he should be given life imprisonment. The court should also impose a heavy fine on him, including compensation to the victim," the prosecutor said. The defence lawyer said it has no objection to 10 years imprisonment for the jailed godman, Kodekar added.

Asaram Bapu Convicted In Rape Case

The Gandhinagar sessions court on Monday convicted Asaram in a decade-old sexual assault case. Asaram was accused by a Surat-based woman of repeatedly raping her while she was at his ashram in Ahmedabad's Motera around 10 years ago. As per the FIR lodged at Chandkheda police station in Ahmedabad, Asaram Bapu allegedly raped the woman on several occasions from 2001 to 2006 when she was living at his ashram on the outskirts of the city.

The court, however, acquitted six other accused, including Asaram's wife Laxmiben, their daughter, and four disciples who were accused of aiding and abetting the crime, for want of evidence.

Asaram was convicted for several charges under Indian Penal Code Sections 376 2 (C) (rape), 377 (unnatural offences), 342 (wrongful detention), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 357 (assault) and 506 (criminal intimidation), in the case lodged by his former woman disciple in 2013.