Controversial godman Asaram Bapu, accused of sexually assaulting a minor, was arrested by Jodhpur police from his ashram here late tonight.
Armed with a medical report that the godman was fit to be interrogated, a team of Jodhpur police arrested 72-year-old Asaram and whisked him in a white jeep about half an hour after the stroke of midnight, after waiting for nearly eight hours at the ashram.
“Asaram Bapu has been arrested and taken away by Jodhpur police”, said Superintendent of Police (Indore West) Anil Singh Kushwah told reporters here.
Asked where Asaram was taken to, Kushwah said “I have no information on that”, amidst reports that he was headed to Indore Airport to be flown to Jodhpur where an FIR was filed by a 16-year-old girl alleging she was sexually assaulted by the godman at his ashram in the Rajasthan city.
As the vehicle carrying Asaram and Jodhpur police made its way out of the ashram in Indore, hundreds of his supporters, watched by posse of policemen, shouted slogans against the police and supporting the self-styled godman.
Earlier in the day, Jodhpur DCP Ajay Lamba had said that his team will arrest Asaram if it is not satisfied with his defence against the allegations of sexual assault.
Strong contingents of police personnel were deployed at the ashram even as Asaram’s supporters protested the arrival of the Jodhpur police team, after which the religious preacher to ask them to stay calm.
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