A self-proclaimed Indian guru with millions of followers was found guilty of raping a teenage girl on the pretext of getting rid of evil spirits. This was told by the lawyer of the victim, reports on Wednesday, April 25, Geo TV.
CNN reports that 77-year-old Asaram Bapu was sentenced to life in prison. A spokesman for Bapu said the defense intends to challenge the verdict in the Indian Supreme Court.
Asaram was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl from his family of followers during a religious ceremony designed to expel evil spirits from her. This happened in August 2013. The girl was brought to the guru by her parents, but they were not present at the ritual itself. Bapu denied all charges, claiming that he was impotent, but a medical examination showed that he could have children.
The verdict was handed down in closed session at the Jodhpur Central Prison in the western state of Rajasthan in a heightened security environment: the arrest of a man in 2013 sparked massive clashes between his supporters and police. There are special restrictions in the city until April 30, in particular, it is forbidden to gather in groups of more than four people. In general, police have been alerted in the three states with the most guru followers, including Gujarat and Haryana.
Asaram Bapu is one of India's most renowned gurus and a former tea seller who began his career in Hinduism in 1972. Two years ago, he owned a network of more than 400 ashrams (communities), his organization operated in 12 countries around the world and had more than 20 million followers.
According to Geo TV, support for the guru has declined after the molestation of the 16-year-old. Bapu was also charged with other rapes and involvement in the murders of two of his students.
In August 2017, another Indian guru, Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping his followers. After he was found guilty, riots erupted in the states of Haryana and Punjab, resulting in 38 deaths and more than 200 injured.
