Sexual assault case: Rajasthan cops issue summons to Asaram Bapu

The Rajasthan police issued a summons and delivered it to a representative of controversial godman Asaram Bapu in Ahmedabad on Monday in connection with an allegation of sexual abuse levelled against him by a 16-year-old girl last week.

"We have issued summons to Asaram Bapu and asked him to appear before us to record his statement within four days of receiving it," Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Jodhpur Ajay Pal Lamba told PTI.

"We called Asaram Bapu's representative from the ashram to a local police station in Ahmedabad and executed the summons," he said.

"After the primary investigation it turned out that the victim's accusations were prima facie established. Hence, we summoned Asaram Bapu to remain present before us, on or before August 30, to record his statement," Lamba said.

However, authorities at Asaram Bapu's ashram in Ahmedabad denied receiving any such communication from the Jodhpur police related to the complaint.

"Until this moment, we have not received any communication either from the Jodhpur police or on their behalf from local police," said Asaram Bapu's Motera Ashram spokesperson Sunil Vankhede.

Asaram, who was booked for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in a Jodhpur ashram, is in Indore, his ashram sources said. It has been alleged that Asaram Bapu is used to evading summons issued either by police or inquiry commissions.

When asked about it, Lamba said, "If he will not respond to our summons, we will issue another one and if he still ignores it, then we may initiate action for his arrest. But that will be considered only after August 30."