Rape case verdict: Asaram to be in prison until death; top 10 developments

Earlier in the day, the Jodhpur SC/ST court had held the self-styled godman, besides two other co-accused, guilty of assaulting and outraging the modesty of a 16-year-old woman

The Jodhpur SC/ST court, which earlier in the day convicted Asaram in a five-year-case of raping a minor, on Wednesday sentenced the self-styled godman to life imprisonment until death. Two other co-accused in the case, also convicted today, were given 20 years each in jail.

Earlier in the day, while pronouncing the verdict inside the Jodhpur central jail amid tight security, the court had held Asaram guilty of assaulting and outraging the modesty of a 16-year-old woman, who, at the time of the incident, was a student at one of Asaram's ashrams in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh. The incident allegedly took place on the night of August 15, 2013, at another Asaram ashram in Manai area near Jodhpur.

After the verdict, the rape survivor's father said he hoped Asaram would get "strict punishment". The self-styled godman's downfall sees him leave behind a Rs 100-billion empire.

The verdict was pronounced 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 Jodhpur Court had earlier dismissed a petition seeking the entry of media persons into the Central Jail of Jodhpur to cover the Asaram rape case judgment. In view of the likelihood of violence and protests, 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. 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.

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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