HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times  Indore, August 27, 2013

 Above poster- Amir Rizvi

A two-member Rajasthan police team reached Indore on Tuesday morning to hand over summons to godman Asaram Bapu in connection with the sexual abuse case.

Asaram Bapu addresses supporters at the sect’s Ashram (Spiritual Centre) on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. AFP Photo/ Sam Panthaky

However, his followers tried to keep them away from meeting the saint under different pretexts. When the police team first called, the followers reportedly told it he was meditating and couldn’t be disturbed.

Indore’s Bhawarkuan police station incharge Ashok Tiwary confirmed that the ashram authorities had informed the Rajasthan police personnel that Asaram was in meditation and he would meet them after 2 pm. “Asaram has been asked to appear before Jodhpur police to record his statement within four days of receiving the summon,” he said.

It may be recalled that the Rajasthan police team was first scheduled to visit Asaram in Ahemadabad in connection with the case. But, he secretly went to his Indore ashram on Saturday prior to their visit, sources said. However, the Rajasthan police rescheduled their visit and reached straight to his Khandwa road ashram in Indore at around 8am on Tuesday.

Earlier on Monday evening, he appeared a bit relieved during the satsang at his ashram. He said he had decided not to seek anticipatory bail and claimed that he would give up both food and water, if arrested.

In another development, a local advocate, Inderjit Singh Bhatia, filed a petition in the local court here on Monday alleging that the religious sentiments of Sikhs had been hurt after Asaram Bapu allegedly compared himself with Guru Nanak. In his petition Bhatia demanded that all the ashrams of Asaram Bapu be sealed. The next hearing for the case has been fixed on September 28.

 

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