'Godman's' latest trick: Asaram refuses to cooperate for potency test

Self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who is facing sexual assault charges, on Wednesday refused to cooperate during a potency test at the civil hospital in Ahmedabad, officials said.

"He (Asaram) was brought for the test but did not cooperate, so he was taken back by police," said Hospital Superintendent Dr MM Prabhakar.

The magistrate's court in Gandhinagar had on Wednesday remanded Asaram to four-day police custody.

Asaram, 72, was brought to the city on Monday evening on a transit remand from a court in Jodhpur, where he was lodged in jail since August in connection with charges of sexual assault against him by a girl hailing from Uttar Pradesh.

Surat police also recently registered two complaints -- one against Asaram, the other against his son Narayan Sai -- of rape, sexual assault, illegal confinement and other offences, on the basis of a complaint filed by two sisters.

The elder of the two sisters has accused Asaram of repeated sexual assault between 1997 and 2006 when she had been living in his ashram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city.
The case has been transferred to Chandkheda police station.

The younger sibling has filed a complaint against Narayan Sai, whose whereabouts are still not known, accusing him of repeated sexual assault between 2002 and 2005, when she had been living at Asaram's Surat ashram.