Asaram Bapu rape case verdict: Godman's lawyer confident of acquittal

As per the directions of the Rajasthan High Court, the trial court will deliver its verdict in the case in Jodhpur Central Jail premises.The victim had alleged that Asaram had called her to his ashram in Manai area near Jodhpur and raped her on the night of August 15, 2013.

Spiritual guru Asaram Bapu (2nd L, in white) is escorted by state police as he leaves a local court in Gandhinagar, some 30 kms. from Ahmedabad, on October 15, 2013. FILE PIC/AFP.

New Delhi: Asaram Bapu’s lawyer Mahesha Bora is confident of his client’s acquittal on Wednesday. The verdict in a rape case in which the self-styled godman is embroiled in will be delivered by a Jodhpur court. Asaram is accused of raping a teenage girl from Shahajahanpur of Uttar Pradesh, who was studying at his ashram at Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh. Speaking to ABP News before the crucial judgement, Bora said, “I don’t see Section 376 being applied in this particular case. The ingredient of 376 does not even fall even in the victim's statement that has been recorded under section 164 of Cr.PC. They tried to fit in the 376 ingredient under section 161 Cr.P.C after coming to Jodhpur.” The senior lawyer had cross-examined the victim and her family in the past. He questioned, “if such a heinous crime took place, how the victim could send and received SMSes immediately after the alleged incident.” He further said that the police conceived a call record and was used as defence. “There were certain people who had conspired against Asaram. Among them was a teacher who sent her those smses.” Bora had also represented  Salman Khan in the 1998 blackbuck case in which the actor secured bail. The lawyer had allegedly received threats from Ravi Pujari, a fugitive gangster, asking him to drop the case. Asaram and Salman were lodged in the same jail. The godman while being brought to the court during a hearing had told reporters that the actor has assured him of "quitting smoking and reducing caffeine intake." If convicted, Asaram could be jailed for a maximum sentence of 10 years Earlier this month, Judge Madhu Sudan Sharma of the Jodhpur court heard the final arguments from the prosecution and defence counsel and reserved the order for April 25. As per the directions of the Rajasthan High Court, the trial court will deliver its verdict in the case in Jodhpur Central Jail premises.The victim had alleged that Asaram had called her to his ashram in Manai area near Jodhpur and raped her on the night of August 15, 2013. Asaram, in jail since August 31, 2013, was charged under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Meanwhile, security stepped up around victim's house in Shahjahanpur. The Centre has also asked Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana to tighten security and deploy additional forces in sensitive places ahead of the verdict. (With additional information from PTI)