With the Asaram rape case verdict due in Jodhpur today, the Centre has asked Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana to beef up security and maintain law and order.
Breaking News : A Jodhpur court will on Wednesday pronounce its verdict in the Asaram rape case, inside the premises of the Central Jail in Jodhpur, amid tight security to avoid a repeat of the violent protests and arson seen when another self-styled godman, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, had earlier been sent to jail in a rape case. The case relates to the alleged rape of a teenager by the self-styled godman in 2013.
The Jodhpur Court has dismissed a petition seeking the entry of media persons into the Central Jail of Jodhpur to cover the Asaram rape case judgment. Security has also been beefed up outside the victim's residence. And, apprehending trouble, the Union home ministry has issued an advisory to Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Haryana to step up security, directing them to ensure no violence takes place after the judgment.
The three states were also told to deploy additional forces at sensitive places. Apart from these states, the police in Delhi are also on a high. A senior police official said the department was keeping a close watch on Delhi's boundaries and inside the city areas.
At that time the alleged rape took place, the girl had been studying at Asaram’s ashram in Chhindwara, in Madhya Pradesh. She had alleged that Asaram called her to his ashram in Manai area near Jodhpur and raped her on the night of August 15, 2013. Asaram has denied the rape charges.
Final arguments in the Asaram case had been completed by the special court for SC/ST cases on April 7 and the court had kept the order reserved for April 25. Asaram has been under judicial custody since September 2, 2013. Apart from him, the charge-sheet in the case names four other co-accused -- Shiva, Shilpi, Sharad, and Prakash. In another rape case involving Asaram in Surat, Gujarat, the Supreme Court earlier this month, gave five weeks' time to the prosecution to complete the trial.
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