Asaram Bapu could not be served summons because he was meditating

As reported by NDTV, two Rajasthan policemen have been waiting for hours to serve summons on self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who has been accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in his ashram in Jodhpur. They were told that he was ‘meditating’.

The policemen came to Asaram’s Indore ashram at 6 am this morning, but were told by his followers that they would have to wait for ‘Baba’s meditation session to get over.’

Police sources say the spiritual leader is trying to evade his summons to appear for questioning by Friday. 

The Home Ministry has also written to the governments of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan seeking reports on various complaints against the yoga guru. 

The teenaged complainant alleged last week that Asaram Bapu asked her to stay back after prayers at his Jodhpur ashram and sexually assaulted her. In her statement to the police, accessed by NDTV, she also said that the 72-year-old had threatened to hurt her and her family if she reported the crime.

The spiritual leader said some people were trying to “malign the image of saints”. He said the complainant was “blameless and pure.” “Her parents are my disciples, that makes her my grand-daughter,” Asaram Bapu said in Indore yesterday.

The issue was raised in Parliament yesterday with the Opposition demanding answers from the government.