Rajasthan Police files plea in high court to shift Asaram Bapu's trial to Jodhpur jail

The Rajasthan Police has moved a petition in the Rajasthan High Court, seeking to shift Asaram Bapu's trial to the Jodhpur jail premises.

According to a PTI report, the self-styled godman's followers gather in large numbers outside the court whenever there is a hearing in the case against Asaram, making the proceedings difficult.

Following the plea, the High Court has issued notices to Asaram and the other co-accused in the case, seeking a reply within two weeks.

"Managing these supporters of Asaram has become a headache for us. We have to rope in a large number of policemen to keep them away from Asaram. They are sometimes picked up and then dropped on the outskirts of the city to maintain law and order," a senior police official said.

Last year, the High Court administration ordered that the hearing of the case be held in the jail court owing to the same reasons. However, the order was challenged and the administration allowed the hearing of the case in the court premises on the condition that Asaram would not make comments to the media and appeal to his supporters to refrain from making a scene on the court premises and on the road from the jail to court.

The official said that the followers of Asaram "risk their lives and sometimes come so close to his vehicle that it may lead to accident".

"Holding the hearing in jail court would also ensure safety of Asaram as he might also become a target of his opponents," he said.

A teenage girl has accused the self-styled godman of sexual assault at his ashram in Manai village near Jodhpur. Following the complaint by the girl, a student at the ashram, Asaram was arrested by Jodhpur police on 31 August, 2013.

--With inputs from PTI