Indian court finds ‘god-man’ guilty of raping schoolgirl

Self-styled god-man Asaram Bapu has been found guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl at his ashram five years ago, reports NDTV.

The verdict was delivered by Special Judge Madhusudhan Sharma on Wednesday in a makeshift trial court at the Jodhpur Central Jail, where Asaram has been lodged since 2013.

Four states—Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat—were on the alert as part of precautionary measures in light of Asaram’s massive empire that spreads over around 400 ashrams and millions of followers worldwide.

Judge Madhusudhan Sharma has been provided with Z+ security in view of his safety, reports Times of India.

Earlier, nine of the witnesses who dared to testify Asaram have been attacked in an upsurge in violence that left three of them dead.

The police and media said they were attacked, according to NDTV.

"Asaram is convicted, we have got justice. I want to thank everyone who supported us in this fight. Now I hope he will get strict punishment. I also hope the witnesses who were murdered or kidnapped get justice," said the father of Shahjahanpur victim following the conviction of Asaram.

Asaram was arrested in 2013 after a 16-year-old girl from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh alleged sexual assault by him in his ashram on the outskirts of Jodhpur.

He faces charges of trafficking, rape, sexual crimes against children and could face a prison term ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment.

The 77-year old 'god-man' unsuccessfully moved 12 bail applications, of which six were rejected by trial court, three by the Rajasthan High Court and three by the Supreme Court.