Asaram Bapu hatched conspiracy to kill witnesses: Arrested shooter to police

Jodhpur: In more trouble for controversial self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, Kartik Haldar, who is suspected to have shot dead three key witnesses in rape cases filed against the religious leader, has told the police that the murders were committed on Asaram's behest, a report said on Wednesday.

In a written admission to the police, Haldar has said the conspiracy to kill the witnesses was hatched by the spiritual guru, who is in jail in connection with a rape case.

Kartik Haldar was arrested from Raipur in Chhatisgarh on Sunday in a joint operation by ATS and Crime Branch unit of Ahmedabad police.

Besides murdering the three witnesses, Haldar had also attempted to kill four other persons who were directly or indirectly associated with the rape cases filed against the jailed religious leader in Jodhpur and Ahmedabad, said JK Bhatt, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) and in-charge IG of ATS.

While making the confession, Asaram's henchman told police that the attack on Raju Chandak, a former sadhak of Asaram Ashram, was carried on the self-styled godman's order.

Chandak, who had served in the ashram for 22 years, severed his ties with the ashram in 2002. On September 10 this year, Chandak gave a statement under oath before Justice DK Trivedi Commission probing the death of two boys in the ashram in July 2008.

74-year-old Asaram was sent to jail in August, 2013 for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old school girl.