INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
AHMEDABAD: A sessions court in Gandhinagar on Tuesday sentenced Asumal Harpalani alias Asaram to life jail time after holding him guilty of
rape and sodomy, one years after a previous devotee made the problem against him
According to among the lawyers present, the 82-year-old found guilty lamented: Aur bhi saza karva dete! (you might inflict even more
punishment) on hearing the sentence.This is the 2nd case of sexual assault in which Asaram has actually been granted life imprisonment
He is serving a life term in a Jodhpur jail in connection with a Pocso case in which he was founded guilty in 2018
He has actually lagged bars because 2013
Extra sessions judge D K Soni granted life imprisonment for Section 376( 2) of IPC (rape) and 377 (sodomy) too
The sentences will run concurrently with the sentence awarded by the Jodhpur Pocso court
He has been sentenced to 2 years in prison for molestation and jail terms for illegal detention of rape survivor, for utilizing force to
detain her and for criminal intimidation
For these offences, the court has enforced a fine of Rs 23,000 on the found guilty
Furthermore, the court has ordered Asaram to pay Rs 50,000 payment to the rape survivor.In his 1,097-page order, the judge wrote, This
court firmly thinks that in order to stop exploitation of god-fearing people in society, such heinous offence can not be pardoned, and
optimal punishment as prescribed under the law should be awarded
While unique public prosecutor R C Kodekar sought life jail time for Asaram, calling him a regular transgressor, Asarams supporter B M Gupta
pleaded for leniency taking a look at his advanced age and ill health
Nevertheless, the judge was not ready to consider the premises of Asarams innovative age and stated he was older than the victims father,
and his offense can not be ignored
It is the ethical obligation of the court to set an example in society and to put a break on such offences
The court likewise accepted the plaintiffs explanation on why she levelled accusations against Asaram after 12 years when she said she might
only summon the guts after Asaram was booked in Jodhpur and rejected bail in the Pocso case there.Asaram attended the proceedings through
video-conferencing from the Jodhpur jail
Because hearings have been held in-camera, the court permitted entry only to the legal representatives on record.The court acquitted all
They were all ladies charged with abetment and conspiracy.After he was reserved under Pocso charges in Jodhpur and jailed, one of his
previous followers showed up in Surat and implicated him of raping her at his ashram at Motera in Ahmedabad in between 1997 and 2006
This took place 2 months after Asaram was scheduled and detained for sexual attack of a minor in Jodhpur.On the very same day of the filing
of the complaint, the victims younger sister accused Asarams kid, Narayan Sai, of sexually exploiting her in an ashram in Surat district
Sai was likewise convicted of rape and sentenced to life jail time by a Surat court.
