Asaram

Asaram
Image of Asaram
Born
Asumal Sirumalani Harpalani

(1941-04-17) 17 April 1941 (age 83)[1]
Berani, Sind Province, British India
Other namesAsaram
OrganizationShree Yog Vedanta Sewa Samiti
Criminal statusIn Prison
Children2, including Narayan Sai
Conviction(s)Rape, 2018
Criminal chargeRape, Murder, Criminal Intimidation
PenaltyLife imprisonment
Capture status
Arrested on 31 August 2013, Indore, Madhya Pradesh
Date apprehended
1 September 2013
Imprisoned atJodhpur Central Jail, Jodhpur
Websitehttps://www.ashram.org/

Asumal Sirumalani Harpalani (born 17 April 1941), known by devotees as Asaram, is an Indian spiritual leader and convicted rapist, who started to come into the limelight in the early 1970s. By 2013, he was estimated to have established over 400 ashrams and 40 schools in India and abroad.[2]

Multiple legal proceedings have been initiated against him, in connection with illegal encroachment, rape, and tampering of a witness. In 2018, Asaram was found guilty of the rape of a minor girl by Special Judge Madhusudhan Sharma of a special Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe court in Jodhpur and is currently serving life imprisonment in Jodhpur.[3][4][5] Asaram's counsel has filed an appeal in the Rajasthan High Court challenging the judgment of the special court. The counsel argues that the trial court ignored significant facts and claims that the case is a clear and disturbing illustration of trial by media.[6][7]

In 2024, Supreme Court lawyer and activist of the 'Fight for your Right' organisation, Ms Kirti Ahuja alleged significant deficiencies in the legal proceedings in Asaram Bapu case. She said that the trial courts in Jodhpur and Ahmedabad failed to address several lacunae within the case, leading to a potential miscarriage of justice.[8]

In December 2017, Asaram was declared as a fake baba by Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, the apex organisation of Hindu Sants (saints) and Sadhus (ascetics) in India.[9]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Daily Bhaskar 22 Aug 2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Asaram's daughter running empire of 400 ashrams spread over India". 25 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Asaram convicted for raping minor girl". The Hindu. 25 April 2018. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 25 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  4. ^ "Self-styled godman Asaram found guilty of rape of teenager in 2013". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Conviction challenged in Rajasthan HC". The Times of India. 3 July 2018. ISSN 0971-8257.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ English, B. M. (11 March 2024). "Supreme Court lawyer Kirti Ahuja highlights gross lapses in Asaram Bapu's trials". Bharat Mirror English.
  9. ^ "Apex body of sadhus releases 2nd list of fake godmen – Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.