Shocked Asaram collapses in court after sentencing :
As a Jodhpur court today awarded the life sentence to self-styled godman Asaram after holding him guilty of raping a teenage girl in his ashram five years ago,
the convict allegedly held his hands in his head and collapsed when he was sentenced.
However, an ABP report quoting sources also says that after the judgement was read, Asaram reacted telling a policeman, "khayenge, piyenge, mauj arenge kyunki ab yahi rehna hai (I will eat, drink and be merry since I have to spend all my life here)."
He was escorted to the barracks where he will now be treated as a convict and not as an under-trial.
His spokesperson Neelam Dubey said the verdict will be challenged in the higher court. Few minutes before the sentencing was announced, some of his supporters had to be evicted by police who had gathered outside Jodhpur Central Jail.
Asaram had complained of uneasiness during the hearing on the quantum of punishment inside the Jodhpur Jail where a court is set up. A team of doctors entered the jail in an ambulance to monitor the health condition of the spiritual guru.
Sources said Asaram was quite anxious and worried during the entire courtroom proceedings and was taken aback when the order came out terming him guilty. He reportedly stood for nearly one and a half hours which could also be a factor for his tiredness.
The spiritual gurus counsel had requested the court to take a lenient view while pronouncing the punishment citing the 77-year-old's old age and deteriorating health. On the other hand, the victims advocate had sought maximum punishment for him.
Distinguish between real saints and frauds: Congress : Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan and Congress' national general secretary Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday appealed the people to distinguish between real saints and frauds as it creates a bad image of the country in the international arena.
The statement was made soon after self-styled godman Asaram Bapu was found guilty in a 2013 rape case earlier today.
"The time has come when people should be able to differentiate between the actual saints and the frauds, as this creates a bad image of the country in the international arena," Gehlot told the media. "There is no harm in believing in the 'babas' but blind faith is not good," he added.
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.The judgment in the case was pronounced inside the Jodhpur Central Jail, keeping in view the law and order in a situation in Rajasthan and neighbouring states. ANI
Skeleton in the Modi closet is out!
Asaram vs Jhansaram:
Lol