Asaram aide seeks bail

Spiritual guru Asaram Bapus aide Shilpi,accused of sending the minor to Jodhpur ashram where the alleged sexual assault took place,moved a Jodhpur court Wednesday seeking anticipatory bail.

Shilpi is warden of the gurukul hostel in Chhindwara,Madhya Pradesh,where the minor was studying and where she complained of illness. She was allegedly directed by Shilpi to meet Asaram for an exorcism ritual as she suspected she was possessed by witches.

Shilpi alias Sanchita Gupta has been absconding since August 29 but police sources say she and the hostel manager of Chhindwara gurukul,Sharad,are on investigators radar. The two were asked to appear before the investigating officer in Jodhpur by August 30 but they did not show up. Shilpi,in her bail plea,stated she does not know Asaram personally.