Asaram Bapu - Revision history

Jyoti: /* 2018: Asaram gets life in prison */

2023-02-17T07:18:47Z

‎2018: Asaram gets life in prison

Jyoti: /* ‘Miracles, supernatural tales’ */

2018-04-29T05:13:35Z

‎‘Miracles, supernatural tales’

Jyoti: /* How Jodhpur police nailed Asaram in 11 days */

2018-04-29T04:27:43Z

‎How Jodhpur police nailed Asaram in 11 days

Jyoti: /* What made Asaram so popular? */

2018-04-29T04:26:35Z

‎What made Asaram so popular?

Jyoti: /* 2018: Asaram gets life in prison */

2018-04-29T04:25:44Z

‎2018: Asaram gets life in prison

Jyoti at 04:25, 29 April 2018

2018-04-29T04:25:24Z

Jyoti: /* 2018: Asaram gets life in prison */

2018-04-29T04:24:24Z

‎2018: Asaram gets life in prison

Jyoti: /* Assets */

2018-04-29T04:10:56Z

‎Assets

Jyoti: /* 2018: Asaram gets life in prison */

2018-04-28T13:40:49Z

‎2018: Asaram gets life in prison

Jyoti: /* From ghetto boy to godman to jailbird */

2018-04-28T13:40:38Z

‎From ghetto boy to godman to jailbird

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:18, 17 February 2023
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	"We are taking no chances. No one is allowed to meet the family without verification. Local intelligence teams, Cheetah teams and police teams are keeping an eye," a police official told TOI yesterday.		"We are taking no chances. No one is allowed to meet the family without verification. Local intelligence teams, Cheetah teams and police teams are keeping an eye," a police official told TOI yesterday.
		+
		+	==2023: Asaram held guilty of rape, sodomy==
		+	[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/asaram-bapu-held-guilty-of-rape-sodomy-six-others-acquitted/articleshow/97464391.cms?from=mdr January 31, 2023: ''The Times of India'']
		+
		+
		+	AHMEDABAD: A Gandhinagar court held Asaram guilty of raping and sodomising his former devotee, who had accused him of sexual abuse a decade ago. This is the second conviction for Asaram; a Jodhpur court had held him guilty in 2018 of raping a minor in 2013 and had sentenced him to life imprisonment. He is currently serving that sentence in Jodhpur Central Jail.
		+
		+	Asaram was convicted of rape, sodomy, molestation, illegal detention, using force to illegally confine the survivor and criminal intimidation. Additional sessions judge D K Soni acquitted six others, including Asaram’s wife Lakshmi; his daughter, Bharti; his Motera ashram office-bearer Dhruvben Balani; employee Jaswantiben Chaudhary; and his followers Nirmala, alias Dhel, and Mira, alias Baglo.
		+
		+	“The other accused have been acquitted for want of evidence against them, and the court has not believed the charge of criminal conspiracy,” Asaram’s advocate, Chandrashekhar Gupta, said. The court will conduct the hearing on the sentencing on Tuesday. The 81-year-old is serving a life sentence in a Jodhpur jail for raping a minor girl at his ashram in Rajasthan in 2013.
		+
		+	He was present via a video-link, the same way he had attended the trial all these years. His wife was not present in court due to ill health and hospitalisation in Surat. The court had to wait to deliver its verdict as Asaram’s daughter could not reach in time. The proceeding was held in-camera; no person, other than the lawyers on record, was allowed inside the courtroom.
		+
		+	During the trial, special prosecutor R C Kodekar examined 68 witnesses. In his further statement, Asaram termed the charges a criminal conspiracy against him.
		+
		+	After he was booked under Pocso charges in Jodhpur and jailed, one of his former devotees turned up in Surat and accused him of raping her at his ashram in Motera, Ahmedabad, between 1997 and 2006. The victim’s younger sister accused Asaram’s son, Narayan Sai, of sexually exploiting her at an ashram in Surat district. Sai, too, was convicted of rape and sentenced to life imprisonment by a Surat court.
		+
		+	An FIR was registered with Chandkheda police station against Asaram, and an SIT was formed to investigate the charges.
		+
		+	[[Category:Biography\|A
		+	ASARAM BAPU]]
		+	[[Category:Crime\|A
		+	ASARAM BAPU]]
		+	[[Category:India\|A
		+	ASARAM BAPU]]

	=A saint or a conman?=		=A saint or a conman?=

@@ Line 335: / Line 335: @@
 =What made Asaram so popular?=
 == ‘Miracles, supernatural tales’==
-[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jodhpur/miracles-supernatural-tales-kept-asarams-cult-going/articleshow/63932093.cms  Dishank Purohit, April 26, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
+[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jodhpur/miracles-supernatural-tales-kept-asarams-cult-going/articleshow/63932093.cms  Dishank Purohit, April 27, 2018: ''The Times of India'']

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:27, 29 April 2018
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	In all, there have been nine attempts on the lives of various witnesses in the case since Asaram was lodged in Jodhpur jail in September 2013. While a prosecution witness had in February been stabbed to death in a Jodhpur court premises, another was shot in Muzaffarnagar in January 2015.		In all, there have been nine attempts on the lives of various witnesses in the case since Asaram was lodged in Jodhpur jail in September 2013. While a prosecution witness had in February been stabbed to death in a Jodhpur court premises, another was shot in Muzaffarnagar in January 2015.
		+
		+	== Asaram’s men sent a bullet to the girl’s school==
		+	[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F04%2F26&entity=Ar01701&sk=AAF5FBA0&mode=text Priyangi Agarwal, Asaram’s men sent a bullet to principal of girl’s school, April 26, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
		+
		+
		+	One day in Shahjahanpur in December last year, some 20,000 copies of a special magazine were distributed to residents. The magazine had stories only on the “truth” about the “injustice” done to Asaram and how the “godman” had been allegedly framed in a conspiracy by Christian missionaries and, surprisingly, the BJP.
		+
		+	On another occasion, Asaram’s henchmen allegedly impersonated officials and changed the age of the girl from 17 to 20 years in Anganwadi records in December 2014. They then took a photocopy of the document to show in court. However, Anganwadi workers grew suspicious when they found the record changed and consulted their seniors.
		+
		+	When they failed at the Anganwadi centre, Asaram’s aides allegedly made the principal of a school create a fake marksheet showing her as an adult at the time of the rape. The girl did not ever study at that school but the fake marksheet was submitted in court. The girl’s father lodged an FIR and the principal was arrested in 2015.
		+
		+	As the trial progressed, Asaram’s aides grew increasingly desperate and their tactics became harsher. “Apart from killing and threatening witnesses, they resorted to various tactics to coerce us into withdrawing the case…they started tampering with the records to show she was an adult so that sections under the POCSO Act could be removed from the chargesheet,” the father said.
		+
		+	Arvind Bajpai, principal of Saraswati Sishu Mandir where the girl studied from Class II to V, said, “Just before I was to submit the documents of the girl for her age proof, I received a .315 calibre rifle bullet with a letter titled ‘your death’. Asaram’s men tried their best to browbeat the girl’s family, but truth won in the end.’’

	== How Jodhpur police nailed Asaram in 11 days==		== How Jodhpur police nailed Asaram in 11 days==

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:26, 29 April 2018
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	A detailed report on unaccounted transactions and properties of the father-son duo was submitted to higher authorities in Ahmedabad for further action, sources said, adding, tax liability for the unaccounted transactions and income comes to Rs 750 crore.		A detailed report on unaccounted transactions and properties of the father-son duo was submitted to higher authorities in Ahmedabad for further action, sources said, adding, tax liability for the unaccounted transactions and income comes to Rs 750 crore.
		+
		+	=The teachings of Asaram Bapu=
		+	== ‘Avoid lust, Valentine’s Day==
		+	[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F04%2F26&entity=Ar01708&sk=775D4C9C&mode=text April 26, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
		+
		+
		+	Asaram clearly had trouble following his own advice. The self-styled godman and now convicted rapist gave several sermons warning followers against the perils of lust. He often equated ‘’vaasna’’ (sexual desire) with spiritual decline. Remember the billboards renaming Valentine’s Day as ‘matri-pitri pujan diwas’ (a day to worship parents) that were plastered across metro stations in Delhi in 2014? Those were the handiwork of his disciples. TOI dug out some other ‘pearls of wisdom’ from Asaram’s videos and website: › In one sermon, he likens a person who succumbs to desire to an animal. “Ek bakra ek din mein 40 bakriyon ke saath muh kaala kar sakta hai (A male goat can have sex with 40 female goats.)’’ › While expressing his concern over misguided youth, he says that young people barely reach puberty when they start handing out roses (for V-Day.) “Yauvan ka raas nichod ke neeche ki naali se nikal jaata hai
		+
		+	(The youth lose their innocence in the pursuit of lust)’’ › His advice to get rid of lustful thoughts was to chant om shanti, stick one’s tongue to the roof of the mouth, meditate, do pranayama and turn thoughts towards god. The instructions, he says, are to be followed before going to bed, and first thing in the morning.
		+
		+	› After the Nirbhaya gangrape in 2012, he sparked a furore with a discourse by saying she was equally responsible. “Agar us kanya ne Saraswati mantra liya hota …toh boyfriend ke saath picture dekh kar jis kisi bus mein ghusti nahin. Agar ghus bhi gayi.. toh 6 sharabi the.. Bhagwan ka naam leti aur ek ka haath pakadti. Tere ko toh mafi maangti hoon. Galti ek taraf se nahi hoti (Had she chanted the Saraswati mantra, she would not have boarded any random bus after watching a movie with her boyfriend. Even if she did, she should have taken god’s name and asked for mercy. She should have called them brothers, fallen at their feet and pleaded for mercy).”
		+

	=What made Asaram so popular?=		=What made Asaram so popular?=

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:25, 29 April 2018
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	[[File: Accusation against Asaram, his court cases, witnesses and assets.jpg\|Accusation against Asaram, his court cases, witnesses and assets <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F04%2F26&entity=Ar00304&sk=27CF7F32&mode=text Ajay Parmar, April 25, 2018: ''The Times of India'']\|frame\|500px]]		[[File: Accusation against Asaram, his court cases, witnesses and assets.jpg\|Accusation against Asaram, his court cases, witnesses and assets <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F04%2F26&entity=Ar00304&sk=27CF7F32&mode=text Ajay Parmar, April 25, 2018: ''The Times of India'']\|frame\|500px]]
		+
		+	[[File: Asaram has been convicted of raping a 16-year old girl from Saharanpur on the intervening night of August 15 and 16, 2013 at his Manai Ashram, 30 km from Jodhpur- A timeline of the case- 2013-17.jpg\|Asaram has been convicted of raping a 16-year old girl from Saharanpur on the intervening night of August 15 and 16, 2013 at his Manai Ashram, 30 km from Jodhpur- A timeline of the case- 2013-17 <br/> From: [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/asaram-bapu-maharaj-from-ghetto-boy-to-godman-to-jailbird/articleshow/63917916.cms April 26, 2018: ''The Times of India'']\|frame\|500px]]

	'''HIGHLIGHTS'''		'''HIGHLIGHTS'''

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:25, 29 April 2018
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	[[File: Asaram Bapu, a timeline.jpg\|Asaram Bapu, a timeline <br/> From: [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/asaram-bapu-maharaj-from-ghetto-boy-to-godman-to-jailbird/articleshow/63917916.cms April 26, 2018: ''The Times of India'']\|frame\|500px]]		[[File: Asaram Bapu, a timeline.jpg\|Asaram Bapu, a timeline <br/> From: [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/asaram-bapu-maharaj-from-ghetto-boy-to-godman-to-jailbird/articleshow/63917916.cms April 26, 2018: ''The Times of India'']\|frame\|500px]]
−
−	[[File: Asaram has been convicted of raping a 16-year old girl from Saharanpur on the intervening night of August 15 and 16, 2013 at his Manai Ashram, 30 km from Jodhpur- A timeline of the case- 2013-17.jpg\|Asaram has been convicted of raping a 16-year old girl from Saharanpur on the intervening night of August 15 and 16, 2013 at his Manai Ashram, 30 km from Jodhpur- A timeline of the case- 2013-17 <br/> From: [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/asaram-bapu-maharaj-from-ghetto-boy-to-godman-to-jailbird/articleshow/63917916.cms April 26, 2018: ''The Times of India'']\|frame\|500px]]

	'''Highlights'''		'''Highlights'''

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:24, 29 April 2018
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	[[File: Accusation against Asaram, his court cases, witnesses and assets.jpg\|Accusation against Asaram, his court cases, witnesses and assets <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F04%2F26&entity=Ar00304&sk=27CF7F32&mode=text Ajay Parmar, April 25, 2018: ''The Times of India'']\|frame\|500px]]		[[File: Accusation against Asaram, his court cases, witnesses and assets.jpg\|Accusation against Asaram, his court cases, witnesses and assets <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F04%2F26&entity=Ar00304&sk=27CF7F32&mode=text Ajay Parmar, April 25, 2018: ''The Times of India'']\|frame\|500px]]
−

	'''HIGHLIGHTS'''		'''HIGHLIGHTS'''

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:10, 29 April 2018
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	A detailed report on unaccounted transactions and properties of the father-son duo was submitted to higher authorities in Ahmedabad for further action, sources said, adding, tax liability for the unaccounted transactions and income comes to Rs 750 crore.		A detailed report on unaccounted transactions and properties of the father-son duo was submitted to higher authorities in Ahmedabad for further action, sources said, adding, tax liability for the unaccounted transactions and income comes to Rs 750 crore.
		+
		+	=What made Asaram so popular?=
		+	== ‘Miracles, supernatural tales’==
		+	[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jodhpur/miracles-supernatural-tales-kept-asarams-cult-going/articleshow/63932093.cms Dishank Purohit, April 26, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
		+
		+
		+	'''HIGHLIGHTS'''
		+
		+	Dubious stories about his miracles were peddled to keep the faith of supporters reposed in his cult even after he went to jail in 2013.
		+
		+
		+	The appeal of Asaram’s cult is amplified by his astounding claims of performing extraordinary miracles, ranging from halting heavy downpour to being an ‘antaryamin’ (mind reader) capable of curing terminally ill patients.
		+
		+	The dubious stories about his miracles were peddled to keep the faith of supporters reposed in his cult even after he went to jail in 2013.
		+
		+	For instance, his Ashram’s in-house magazine, Rishi Prasad’s online issue number 297, carried an article titled, “Even the clouds obey his commands,” in which a devotee recounts how one day he had to return home after the ‘satsang’ when it was raining heavily. When Asaram asked how he managed to go home, he said he looked up at the sky and said, “Stop now,” and the rain stopped instantly.
		+
		+	Another article from issue number 299 of Rishi Prasad narrates an incident by a devotee who recalls how his minor son was cured of aphasia, an inability to comprehend and formulate language, by a ball of butter as suggested by Asaram.
		+
		+	Jodhpur police officials, who have been managing the godman’s frenzied followers during the many trials at the court, said that Asaram’s claims to “supernatural” powers helped to keep his followers united, despite his involvement in heinous offences.
		+
		+	“During trials when we took him to the court in a Vajra (anti-riot vehicle), his ‘sadhaks’ (devotees) would roll down in front of the vehicle and jostle with each other to get a glimpse of Asaram. They have been trained to believe that proximity to the guru can change their lives,” said an official, adding that these stories were particularly highlighted after his involvement in Jodhpur rape case as his devotees began to leave him.
		+
		+	Neelam Dubey, the spokesperson for Asaram, told TOI that the number of followers hasn’t dwindled and has instead increased. “The number of ‘shivers’ (camps) has increased. Several students who have never even met Bapuji have also begun to attend the ashrams and religious activities,” she told TOI.
		+
		+	Asaram’s core teachings include an emphasis on brahmacharya (celibacy). Apart from “miracles,” his ashram-made medicines are also a rage among his ardent followers. Products like ‘gau chandan’ (cow sandalwood) are still being bought by his followers from his website.
		+	Read this story in Bengali

	=See also=		=See also=

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:40, 28 April 2018
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	==2018: Asaram gets life in prison==		==2018: Asaram gets life in prison==
	[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/asaram-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-after-being-found-guilty-of-minors-rape/articleshow/63908727.cms April 25, 2018: ''The Times of India'']		[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/asaram-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-after-being-found-guilty-of-minors-rape/articleshow/63908727.cms April 25, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
		+
		+	[[File: Accusation against Asaram, his court cases, witnesses and assets.jpg\|Accusation against Asaram, his court cases, witnesses and assets <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F04%2F26&entity=Ar00304&sk=27CF7F32&mode=text Ajay Parmar, April 25, 2018: ''The Times of India'']\|frame\|500px]]