Judicial custody of Asaram Bapu, four others extended

Jodhpur: The judicial custody of self-styled godman Asaram and four others, arrested in connection with a sexual assault case, was today extended by one more day.

The Sessions court extended their judicial custody after probe agency sought one more day to submit chargesheet against them.

"The Investigating Officer (IO) told the court that the police would file the charge sheet tomorrow," prosecution lawyer Pradeep Choudhary said. The judicial custody of all the five accused had expired today.

However, police officials associated with the probe were giving different versions about the filing the charge sheet.

A senior police official said that there is no possibility of filing the charge sheet before Monday.

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"We need at least two to three more days to file the chargesheet, and it is most likely to be filed on Monday," said the official adding that it is almost ready.

Choudhary said that if the police files the chargesheet on Saturday, all the five accused including Asaram will have to be present in the court.

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Otherwise, the court will simply extend the custody further till the day the police will finally file the chargesheet.

Meanwhile, Asaram appealed the court to not send him elsewhere in future for any investigation.

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Referring to the journey from Jodhpur to Ahmedabad, he said that it was "very taxing and painful".

Asaram said he was put in a police van, and was still suffering from back pain.

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The court, however, did not comment on his plea.

Asaram, 72, was arrested in August on the charge of sexually assaulting a minor girl and has been in a prison in Jodhpur since then.

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He has also been slapped with a fresh police case along with his son on October 6 following a complaint of sexual assault against them by two sisters in Surat.