Self-styled godman Asaram Bapu will spend one more night in barrack number 1 at Jodhpur central jail after a local court deferred hearing on his bail plea till Wednesday.
Asaram’s lawyers, meanwhile, argued his case before the court and blamed the media for his arrest.
The police arrested him on Saturday from Indore for allegedly sexually assaulting a girl at his ashram in Jodhpur. The state women commission has demanded a narco-analysis test on Asaram.
Jail authorities have lodged him at the barrack with a group of inmates to keep a vigil on him. He woke up in the morning and read a newspaper to find his story on the front page, says a source close to the prison authorities. He was given roasted grams and jaggery as per manuals, but he only had tea.
The district and sessions court (rural) in Jodhpur on Tuesday heard his lawyers for granting bail. His lawyer K.K. Menon contended that he was innocent and was framed in a false case. His lawyer said it was media coverage that has put pressure on the investigating agency to book him in a wrong case.
Mr Menon said the FIR lodged by the victim was enough to prove that it was not a case of rape under Section 376 IPC. The FIR does not support the case of rape, nor the case of outrage, he argued. “It could be a bailable case,” Mr Menon added. The lawyer read out a part of the prosecution paper and contended that Asaram was a victim of a “larger conspiracy.”
His lawyers said the MLC report (medico legal) did not support the case. The prosecution contested his arguments but sought time to reply. Additional advocate-general Anand Purohit said the prosecution will argue its case on Wednesday.
According to sources, when Asaram was brought to the jail, the dinner time was over and he was allowed to take food that he had with him.
A group of his followers also joined him when they were remanded to judicial custody. The police had arrested a dozen of his supporters for attacking mediapersons on Sunday.
The police, meanwhile, further beefed up the security in Jodhpur following clashes that broke out between the police and supporters of the godman on Monday. Sources said the police also tried to gather information about cases against him in different states.