Bhopal: After days of evading the police and refusing to join investigation in the sexual assault case of a minor girl, the 72-year-old self-styled godman Asaram was finally arrested on Saturday midnight by Jodhpur Police from his ashram in Indore. Asaram has been taken to the Indore airport and will be taken to Jodhpur. The further proceedings will be done by Jodhpur Police.
"Asaram Bapu has been arrested and taken away by Jodhpur police", said Superintendent of Police (Indore West) Anil Singh Kushwah.
Asked where Asaram was taken to, Kushwah said "I have no information on that", amidst reports that he was headed to Indore Airport to be flown to Jodhpur where an FIR was filed by a 16-year-old girl alleging she was sexually assaulted by the godman at his ashram in the Rajasthan city.
Earlier on Saturday Jodhpur Police DCP Ajaypal Lamba said that his team is in Indore and Asaram, who claimed through his son Narain Sai that he was suffering from a neurological disorder and hence could not join the investigation, was fit for interrogation and travel. Lamba also said that the investigating officer will take a decision on further action and whether to arrest him or not, as of now he is fit for investigation and travel.
The events unfolded amidst high drama. Senior police officers reached the ashram at 3 pm amid high security as Asaram's supporters numbering hundreds assembled around its compound. The Jodhpur police began interrogation of Asharam around 9 pm and within 3 hours the deployment of the forces was also increased. Asaram and whisked him in a white jeep about half an hour
after the stroke of midnight, after waiting for nearly eight hours at the ashram.
As the vehicle carrying Asaram and Jodhpur police made its way out of the ashram in Indore, hundreds of his supporters, watched by posse of policemen, shouted slogans against the police and supporting the self-styled godman.
Strong contingents of police personnel were deployed at the ashram even as Asaram's supporters protested the arrival of the Jodhpur police team.
Meanwhile, the father of the minor girl ended his fast after the announcement of Asaram's arrest. But claimed that he will continue to fight the case until the self-styled godman was sentenced in the case. "He should be charged with the relevant sections as soon as possible so that the criminal proceedings can be initiated against him," said the girl's father.
He also claimed of threat calls from Asaram's supporters". My family is not safe. I am getting threat calls from his supporters. I will take this fight till the end. I will continue the fight for justice to my daughter," he said.
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