Gujarat police seeks Asaram's custody, son claims innocence in ads

Armed with a warrant, a Gujarat police team on Thursday moved a Jodhpur court seeking custody of jailed self-styled godman Asaram Bapu for questioning him in connection with a sexual assault case lodged by two sisters from Surat against him and his son.

The District and Session Court adjourned the matter till tomorrow after the police team from Ahmedabad, which reached here on Thursday, appeared before it with the production warrant issued against 72-year-old Asaram by a Gandhinagar court.

All the accused in the case are to appear before the court following expiry of their judicial remand. Also, the court on Thursday rejected the the bail applications of Asaram's aides Sanchita Gupta alias Shilpi and Shiva.

Asaram was arrested in August on charges of sexually assaulting a minor girl and has been lodged in the Jodhpur Central Jail since last 40. His bail applications have been rejected by both the District and Session Court and the High Court.

"We have obtained the production warrant against Asaram from Gandhinagar court and have come here to seek permission of court for custody of Asaram to take him to Gujarat with us for interrogation in relation to the case registered in Surat by two girls," said a member of the Gujarat Police team.

DCP (West) Ajay Pal Lamba said that the Jodhpur Police has completed all its investigation related to Asaram and will extend all cooperation to Gujarat Police.

Surat Police had registered the two complaints -one against Asaram and another against son Narayan Sai - of rape, sexual assault, illegal confinement and other charges.

The complaint against Asaram was transferred to Chandkheda police station in Ahmedabad as the incident took place in Asaram's ashram here.

Meanwhile, Narayan Sai, against whom a look out notice has been issued in connection with the sexual assault case, has given advertisements in Surat newspapers claiming that he is innocent and will not run away.

The advertisements also mention that Sai will take a legal recourse in the matter.

City police had yesterday summoned him for questioning by serving notice to various ashrams in Gujarat run by the father-son duo.

The whereabouts of Sai are not known to police and the advertisements say nothing about where he is holed up.

"Our client has not gone away and will not run away," the advertisements, issued through his advocate Gautam Desai, said.