NEW DELHI: Self-styled ‘Godman’ Asaram Bapu, on Tuesday (January 31), was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping minor girl in 2013.

A court at Gandhinagar in Gujarat convicted Asaram Bapu for raping one of his minor disciples in 2013.

Additional Judge of Gandhinagar sessions court – DK Soni pronounced the verdict.

Asaram was convicted for offences under Sections 376 (rape), 377 (unnatural sex), 354 (outraging modesty of a woman), 346 (wrongful confinement), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (destroying evidence) under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

A Surat-based woman had accused Asaram of repeatedly raping her while she was at his ashram during 2001-2006.

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The woman and her sister had accused Asaram and his son – Narayan Sai – of raping them repeatedly.

Notably, Narayan Sai – son of Asaram Bapu – was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2019 in the same case.

Asaram’s wife Lakshmi, daughter Bharati, and four female followers – Dhruvben, Nirmala, Jassi and Meera – were also accused but were acquitted by the Gandhinagar court.