Asaram verdict: Security beefed up in 3 states, media entry banned

Jodhpur (Rajasthan) [India], Apr. 24 (ANI): The Jodhpur Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Court will pronounce its verdict tomorrow in a rape case against Asaram Bapu, a self-styled godman.

The judgement in the case will be pronounced inside the Jodhpur Central Jail.

Earlier today, Jodhpur Court dismissed the petition seeking entry of media persons in Central Jail of Jodhpur for the coverage of Asaram Bapu rape case judgment.

Security has also been beefed up outside Asaram rape case victim's residence.

"We have provided full security and safety to the victim and her family members and are alert," KB Singh, CO, Shahjahanpur said.

Delhi Police CPRO Deepender Pathak said that the police is alert and is in constant touch with concerned states and that adequate forces will immediately be deployed if required.

"Delhi police alert and in touch with concerned states. All field formations of police put on alert. Adequate forces will immediately be deployed if required. All officers will be present in their areas," Pathak said.

Jodhpur East (DCP) Amandeep Singh Kapoor said that all precautionary measures have been taken by the police to handle law and order ahead of the verdict tomorrow.

"We will not tolerate any kind of nonsense. We have taken all precautionary measures. We are confident that we will be able to handle law and order," Kapoor said.

A flag-march was also conducted by the security forces in Rajasthan's Jodhpur ahead of the verdict.

Earlier in the day, the Union Home Ministry had reportedly asked Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana to tighten security and deploy additional forces.

These three states have a large number of followers of the self-styled godman.

The Ministry also told the three states to ensure that no violence takes place after the verdict.

On April 21, Jodhpur police said that Rajasthan High Court has beefed up security arrangements to ward off any untoward incident during the pronouncement of judgment in Asaram Bapu rape case.

The police further said that Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) will be imposed in Jodhpur till April 30.

On April 17, the court had decided to pronounce the verdict against self-styled godman in the rape case in Jodhpur Central Jail to avoid any law and order situation in the state.

The police had earlier filed a petition in the high court stating that Rajasthan may witness Panchkula-like violence, which broke out after the conviction of controversial godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape case.

The Jodhpur SC/ST Court on April 7 completed its hearing in the rape case against Asaram.

Asaram, who is currently lodged in the Jodhpur Central jail, is facing trial in two sexual assault cases: one in Rajasthan and the other in Gujarat.

In the case registered in Rajasthan, a teenage girl from Shahajahanpur of Uttar Pradesh had accused Asaram of raping her at his ashram in Manai village near Jodhpur on the night of 15 August 2013.

Asaram was arrested after the teenage girl had filed a complaint against him.

While in Gujarat, the two Surat-based sisters had lodged separate complaints against the self-styled godman and his son Narayan Sai, accusing them of rape.

The Jodhpur Police arrested Asaram on August 3, 2013, and since then, he is in prison. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI