IO asked to be present for Asaram hearing

The Gujarat high court on Monday directed the investigation officer in the Asaram Ashram case to remain present before the court with the case papers on May 2.

The court was acting on a writ petition filed by Shantilal Vaghela and Prafulbhai Vaghela, the fathers of the two boys, Dipesh and Abhishek, who died at the ashram, demanding a CBI investigation into the matter.

The petitioners had alleged complete failure on the part of the local police in carrying out an effective investigation of the incident and that they had deliberately delayed the probe, as a result of which those accused in the offence had not yet been apprehended.
In their petition, they alleged that while in talks with the chief minister, they were videographed, and a peon had entered the room with a tray bearing a few glasses of water.

The petitioner had picked up a glass each, assuming they contained water. The glasses however contained lemon juice. When they returned to the spot where they were conducting a dharna, they realised that rumours were rife that they had accepted lemon juice from the chief minister and had withdrawn the dharna.

“A mob of BJP activists started shouting loudly that the petitioners have done ‘parna’ at the hand of the chief minister and have withdrawn the protest. They started removing the banners and pandal, and told the police not to permit the petitioners to continue their fast. Thus, they provoked the supporters of the petitioners, alleging that they have ‘made a settlement’ with the chief minister,” the petition said.