File pic of Asaram Bapu, who has been alleged to have sexually assaulted a minor
The Rajasthan police say it has enough evidence to pin down spiritual leader Asaram Bapu, who has been accused of sexually assaulting the 16-year-old daughter of his disciples.
The teenager had accused the 72-year-old of forcing himself on her at his ashram in Jodhpur, and threatening to kill her and her parents if she reported him. Asaram Bapu dismissed the allegations as 'bakwas' (nonsense).
"Our teams went to his ashrams in Gurukul, Shahjahanpur, Ahmedabad and Indore. We investigated what the girl said. We have verified the charges and found some evidence," said Ajay Pal Lamba, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jodhpur.
Asaram Bapu has been asked to travel to Jodhpur by Friday for police questioning.
Unfazed by the summons, the spiritual leader said he had "commitments in other cities" and will see whether he can fit in an appointment with the police. Critics have slammed the police for allowing him to travel across the country despite serious allegations against him.
The self-styled godman has a chain of ashrams in states like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan and many in other countries - more than 400 in all, according to his official website, which also claims millions of followers.
It was at one of these ashrams that he allegedly assaulted the teen complainant. Her father told NDTV, "He told my daughter - be silent, my gunmen are outside and will kill your parents."
Asaram Bapu's son, Narayan Sai, however, says the teen is "mentally ill." He said Asaram did spend over an hour in a room alone with the teen, but committed no crime.
Asaram Bapu has described the teen as "pure and blameless," and has said that the fact that her parents are his disciples, makes her his grand-daughter.