A Jodhpur court is expected to give its ruling on Wednesday in a rape case against self-styled godman Asaram, who is accused of sexually assaulting a minor girl at his ashram in Manai village near Jodhpur.
Asaram was charged with raping a 16-year-old girl from Uttar Pradesh’s Shahajahanpur in 2013. He was arrested later that year.
The ruling by the special court at Jodhpur Central Jail, where the 77-year-old Asaram is lodged, will be delivered with stringent security measures in place in the city and the rest of Rajasthan. The Centre has asked Gujarat and Haryana also to tighten security and deploy additional forces in a bid to prevent a repeat of the large-scale violence that took place in Haryana and neighbouring states following the conviction of another self-styled godman, Gurmeet Ram Rahim, in a rape case last August.
Here are the live updates:
10.25am: Jaipur police flying a drone around jail premises for security and surveillance purposes.
9.53am: Security has been provided to the family of Akhil Gupta, a witness in the rape case against Asaram in Surat, who was shot dead in January 2015, ahead of the verdict, police tell PTI.
9.52am: The case against Asaram is registered under the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. In Rajasthan, courts hearing cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act are authorised to hear cases under the POCSO Act.
Read | Asaram rape case: Woman’s family under police protection, seeks strict punishment
9.49am: There are thirty people inside the jail courtroom including the judge, one public prosecutor, five accused, 17 advocates and six court staff.
9.32am: Proceedings begin in court. Judge marks attendance of all the accused and their counsels.
9.20am: Four followers of Asaram have been detained from Jodhpur railway station. Police say they came from Gujarat.
9.16am: Asaram’s former aide Mahendra Chawla, a key witness in the case, says, “Trust judiciary and am confident that Asaram will be convicted. I request judiciary that such rapists should be hanged. Though I have security, I request Centre for additional security, my life like other witnesses is constantly under threat.”
9.14am: Co-accused Shilpi Gupta alias Sanchita, and Sharatchandra reach Jodhpur Central Jail.
9.11am: Judge Madhusudan Sharma has reached Jodhpur Central Jail courtroom with his staff.
9.10am: Ahead of the verdict, the district administration in Shahjahanpur stepped up security around the house of the victim.
9.05am: Both the roads towards the Jodhpur Central Jail, where Asaram is lodged, have been sealed and only mediapersons have been allowed outside the jail, PTI reports.
8.55am: Prayers underway at Asaram’s ashram in Varanasi.
8.45am: A follower of Asaram who had reached Jodhpur Central Jail with a garland was detained by the police, ANI reports.
8.15am: Security tightened at Jodhpur Central Jail ahead of the verdict.
8.05am: Co-accused in the case, Shiva, Shilpi Gupta alias Sanchita, Prakash and Sharatchandra will be present in the jail courtroom during the verdict.
7.55am: The judge of the special court for SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act cases, Madhusudan Sharma, is expected to reach his court at 8am, where he will be informed about the high court order allowing for the delivery of the judgment in a special courtroom inside Jodhpur Central Jail.
7.50am: The verdict in the case is expected by 10 am. If convicted, Asaram will get a minimum of 10 years in jail. The maximum punishment in charges framed against him is life imprisonment.
Source: HindustanTimes