Jodhpur police impose prohibitory orders ahead of court verdict in Asaram Bapu case

Jaipur: In order to thwart any attempt to disrupt law and order situation on April 25 – the day when a court will give its verdict in Asaram Bapu case, Jodhpur police has imposed section 144 of CrPC in Jodhpur, banning gathering of five or more people.

Police anticipate that a large number of self-styled godman’s followers may gather in Jodhpur on the day of the verdict, leading to a possible law and order situation. Keeping this in view, Jodhpur police commissioner Ashok Rathore imposed section 144 of CrPC for 10 days in the city. The orders came into effect on Saturday.

People will be barred from organizing any rally or take out processions. People will have to even obtain permission for procession during wedding functions or religious gatherings.

The police carried out searches at inns and hotels in the city and asked suspicious people who could be followers of Asaram to leave the city.

The police have also alerted railway officials and RPF and requested them to set up a joint control room to keep an eye on people arriving in Jodhpur from other places.

The police have also set up check posts at all the roads leading to the city. Police teams are checking vehicles.

The verdict in the 5-year-old sexual assault case lodged against self-proclaimed godman Asaram Bapu will come on April 25. Asaram is currently lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail.

The court of judge Madhusudan Sharma heard the arguments from both sides for nearly five months.

The police had arrested Asaram Bapu on August 31, 2013 and he has been lodged in Jodhpur central jail since then.

The 76-year-old religious preacher has been accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old schoolgirl who studied at Asaram’s ashram in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara and stayed in a girls’ hostel there.

The girl had made a complaint at a police station in Delhi on August 20, 2013 and the spiritual leader has since then denied the allegation.