Jan 28, 10:14 pm

New Delhi, Jan.28, (ANI): The district administration of Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday demolished ashram of jailed spiritual guru Asaram Bapu, who has been accused of sexual assault on a minor.

 

The district administration demolished the ashram claiming that it was illegally constructed. The ashram was said to be constructed on around seven acres of land in Jabalpur.

“The ashram is considered to be illegal as per the rules related to the local village body. Secondly, it has been constructed without a diversion. All the structures will be demolished,” said sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Rishi Pawar.

A petition was filed in the High Court against the demolition of the ashram, which was later rejected by the court.

“The estimates were submitted under High Court and district court. The property was declared illegal and the petition filed against the demolition was rejected,” said Anita Yadav, chief municipal officer of Bhedaghat.

The 75-year-old Asaram was arrested in August 2013 on the charges of sexually assaulting a schoolgirl.

Reportedly, the girl belongs to Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh and was a student of Asaram Bapu Mission’s ashram and school in Chhindwara district in Madhya Pradesh.

A day before the assault the girl fell ill and was taken to Asaram Bapu, then camping at Jodhpur, by her parents who incidentally happened to be his ardent followers at that period of time. (ANI)