Self-styled godman Asaram has been found guilty in the rape case of the minor.
Self-styled godman Asaram has been sent to life imprisonment after being found guilty in the rape case of the minor. The family of the minor victim has shown satisfaction at the judgment. "Asaram is convicted, we have got justice. I want to thank everyone who supported us in this fight. Now I hope he will get strict punishment. I also hope the witnesses who were murdered or kidnapped get justice," said father of Shahjahanpur victim before the announcement of the punishment.
While talking to a television channel, the father of the victim claimed that the fight has been long and many people tried hard to force us to give up, but we were determined to get justice. "My daughter is happy she has got justice," he told the television channel.
"I thank everyone and media for raising this issue prominently, otherwise Asaram would have got us killed and no one would have known about us," he further added.
The family has made a decision to keep the victim away from the media glare.
Asaram was on Wednesday convicted by a court here for raping a teenager at his ashram near Jodhpur in 2013.
Special Judge (SC/ST court) Madhusudhan Sharma delivered the verdict in the Jodhpur Central jail premises.
The victim had said in her complaint that Asaram called her to his ashram in Manai area near Jodhpur and raped her on the night of August 15, 2013.
Final arguments in the ase had been completed by the special court for SC/ST cases on April 7 and the court had kept the order reserved for April 25, 2018.
The 77-year-old Asaram was arrested in Indore and brought to Jodhpur on September 1, 2013. He is under judicial custody since September 2, 2013.
The chargesheet against Asaram and four other co-accused Shiva, Shilpi, Sharad and Prakash was filed by the police on November 6, 2013 under various sections of the POSCO Act, Juvenile Justice Act and IPC.
Asaram is also facing a rape case in Surat in Gujarat in which the Supreme Court earlier this month gave five weeks time to the prosecution to complete the trial.
Asaram unsuccessfully moved 12 bail applications, of which six were rejected by the trial court, three by the Rajasthan high court and three by the Supreme Court
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Asaram")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}