Cops get nod for Asaram custody,but can bring him to state only after Oct 25

All the accused in the Jodhpur case were produced in the court as their judicial custody expired on Friday.

A Jodhpur court on Friday allowed Gujarat police custody of self-styled godman Asaram Bapu for interrogation in connection with a sexual assault case lodged by two Surat-based sisters against him and his son. The court permitted the Gujarat police to take him with them for interrogation, Manish Vyas,counsel for the victims,said.

Extending judicial custody of 72-year-old Asaram and the other four co-accused by 14 days,the district and sessions court,however,directed the Jodhpur Central Jail to ensure they appear in court on October 25. All the accused in the Jodhpur case were produced in the court as their judicial custody expired on Friday. The judge,Manoj Kumar Vyas,extended the judicial custody of Asaram and the other co-accused including Shilpi,Shiva,Prakash and Sharad Chandra till October 25, Vyas said.

The Ahmedabad Police said that after completion of the extended custody in the Jodhpur case,Asaram will be shifted to Sabarmati Central Jail for questioning in the Surat rape case. Besides,the city police have requested the Jodhpur police to allow them to question Asaram in Jodhpur jail till he is brought to Gujarat.

Armed with a production warrant issued by a Gandhinagar court,a Gujarat police team had on Thursday moved the Jodhpur court seeking permission to take Asaram with them for interrogation.

In Ahemdabad,the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that was formed to probe the case spent more than three hours in Asarams ashram and Shanti Kutir,a farmhouse converted into a meeting room by Asaram where the sisters were raped. The Surat sisters were also brought to the ashram with the SIT team who narrated the incident to the investigators on how they were raped by Asaram.

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

Meanwhile,a team of Food and Drug Control Department raided Asarams ashram in Motera area of Ahmedabad and collected samples of various medicines and syrups Asaram used to sell as energy supplements.

Mahila Cong seeks CBI probe

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Gujarat Pradesh Mahila Congress (GPMC) on Friday submitted a memorandum to Gujarat State Womens Commission,seeking CBI probe into the alleged sexual assault cases against Asaram and his son Narayan Sai. The memorandum also sought action against Asarams wife Laxmi and their daughter Bharti for their alleged abetment in the crime. The women leaders,comprising GPMC president Sonal Patel,former minister Chandrikaben Chudasma and MLAs Tejashree Patel and Kaminiben Rathod,also demanded closure of all ashrams and hostels run by Asarams trust in the state. ENS

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