No-sex preaching spiritual leader, Asaram Bapu, [white robe], will stay behind bars for life after his conviction for raping a teenage member of his sect

Indian ‘godman’  Asaram Bapu was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday after he was convicted of raping a teenage female devotee, five years ago, while her parents waited outside his door, during a séance.
The verdict against 77-year-old Asumal Harpalani, better known by his spritual name, ‘Asaram Bapu’, was read at a closed hearing at a prison in Rajasthan state out of fears his supporters would resort to violence.
Police were also on standby in Rajasthan and elsewhere in case of riots.
The popular white-bearded guru, who has millions of followers all over the world, was also convicted of criminal conspiracy and wrongful confinement.
The spiritualist who has 400 ashrams around the world where he teaches meditation and yoga, is also on trial in another rape case in western India state of Gujarat.
Confirming the sentence, public prosecutor Pokar Ram Bishnoi told reporters, ‘“We argued that Asaram is not a saint,”  Bishnoi said after the sentencing.
In 2013, the then-16-year-old girl accused Asaram of raping her when she visited him at his retreat in Jodhpur with her mother. The now-21-year-old woman said Asaram assaulted her to drive away evil forces.

Asaram Bapu was convicted of the 2013 attack on the girl, a devotee at his ashram in Jodhpur, by a court holding in the city’s jail

Her family had been followers of Asaram, who preaches a pious life free of sexual desires, for more than a decade.
Asaram was arrested in 2013 after a case of sexual assault was filed against him by the parents who alleged that he had assaulted their daughter.
Police confirmed the couple, who had sent the girl to one of his ashrams for spiritual lessons, were summoned to see her as she was “under the influence of some supernatural ghostly powers”.
They were then told to take their daughter to Jodhpur to meet the guru.
The family arrived at the Jodhpur ashram August 14, 2013.
The following night, Asaram called the victim to his room on the pretext of “curing” her. He then raped the victim while her parents waited outside chanting his prayers, police say.
Court documents said the guru forced the victim to perform sexual acts on him and threatened to murder her family if she spoke about the incident.
The victim told her parents what had happened the following day. They tried to confront Asaram, but were refused entry to his ashrams.
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Love Guru jailed! India godman, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, whom judge called ‘wild beast’ to serve 20 years in prison for custodial rape

Female protesters rage against Asaram Bapu who has been linked to several case of rape and murder

Asaram, who has denied the charges, has been jailed since his arrest that year. He said his trial was a political conspiracy and refused to cooperate with a police investigation.
Two of four of his co-defendants were also found guilty and sentenced to 20 years. Two others were acquitted.
Two close aides who had flipped to become key witnesses against him were murdered in 2014 and 2015.
The influential leader ran more than 230 ashrams, or religious retreats, with residential schools.
Asaram also stands accused of raping another devotee and was linked to the killing of two students at another of his Hindu retreats. Meanwhile, his son is on trial — also for rape.
The so-called “godman” sparked outrage in 2013 when he said the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student in Dehli could’ve been prevented if she begged for mercy from her attackers.
The indian city of Jodhpur is on high alert because of concerns there could be violence from the guru’s supporters, prompting the judge to delivered his verdict from the city’s jail because of concerns that it could provoke riots.
He is expected to appeal the verdict.

Indian spiritual guru, Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan, was convicted of rape last year August. He received a 20-year sentence

Asaram’s conviction comes after weeks of public protests over the gang rape and murder of an 8-year-old and a separate assault of a teenager by a ruling party politician.
To fight a rising flood tide of rape incidents, India’s government last week approved the death penalty for those convicted of raping children under age 12.
Last year, another Indian spiritual guru Dr. Saint Gurmeet Singh Ram Rahim Insan – known as the “guru in bling”, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping two female devotees.
His supporters went on a days-long rampage that left 38 dead.