In a development that may cause embarrassment to judiciary in India, a former chief justice of Sikkim high court, SN Bhargav, on Saturday bowed before the rape accused Asaram and sought his blessings outside a Jodhpur court.
Asaram is currently lodged in jail for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl.
Bhargav, a former Governor too, waited for Asaram outside the court of metropolitan judicial magistrate and bowed before the delf-proclaimed godman to seek his blessings after he was brought out the court.
A report by India Today said that Justice Bhargava fell in the rape accused godman’s feet when the latter got down from the police van. The two security personnel accompanying the retired judge also touched feet of Asaram.
Justifying his action, Bhargav said, “I had come to Jodhpur to attend a private function. But when I came to know that Asaram would be produced in the court, I came here for his darshan.”
The 76-year-old Asaram, who is currently facing a trial for raping a teen girl at his ashramin Jodhpur in 2013, has been in jail since then. He’s applied for bail at least on seven occasions with court rejecting all his pleas.
His son Narayan Sai is accused of raping a woman disciple of his father’s between 2002 and 2005 at their ashram in Surat. Asaram had several high profile followers with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajasthan chief minister, Vasundhara Raje Scindia and other top BJP leaders frequently paying visits to his ashram in the past.
Not so long ago, Punjab and Haryana High Court had jailed another self-proclaimed godman, Gurmeet Singh, for 20 years after he was convicted in two rape cases.