Asaram, daughter and aides booked for threatening rape victim, kin

Shahjahanpur: Self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, his daughter and 10 others have been booked on charges of rioting and criminal intimidation based on a complaint by the father of a girl, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Asaram, police said today.

“On December 22, a magazine was distributed along with various newspapers claiming that charges levelled on Asaram Bapu are false, and he is being framed as a part of a conspiracy. After this, the father of the girl, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Asaram, lodged a police complaint saying although Asaram is lodged in jail, his aides are trying to kill them,” Superintendent of Police (city) Dinesh Tripathi said.

Acting on the complaint, police registered a case under relevant sections of the IPC pertaining to rioting and criminal intimidation against Asaram, Bhagwan Bharti (Asaram’s daughter) and 10 other people, SP Tripathi said.

The survivor, now 20, was allegedly raped by Asaram at his Jodhpur ashram in August 2013.