Jodhpur: Asaram, 77-year-old godman, has been sentenced to life imprisonment in a 2013 rape case.
Special judge (SC/ST court) Madhusudhan Sharma announced the verdict in the Jodhpur Central jail premises and has also fined Asaram, Shilpi and Sharad Rs 1 Lakh each in the case. The other two accused were handed 20 years each in prison.
Neelam Dubey, Asaram’s spokesperson being unhappy with the verdict said that the trust will definitely move high court against the verdict.
Following the verdict, the Centre has asked Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana government to tighten security and deploy additional forces as the three states have a large number of followers of Asaram.
Asaram and four other co-accused Shiva, Shilpi, Sharad and Prakash were charged under various sections of the POCSO Act, Juvenile Justice Act and IPC in 2013.
