An aide of Asaram’s son Narayan Sai, who has been absconding after a sexual assault case was registered against him in Gujarat, was arrested in Jodhpur on Saturday.
Identified as Vani Kaushik, Sai’s aide was handed over by Jodhpur police to Gujarat police, who had been looking for him in Jodhpur.
Kaushik, a resident of Ahmedabad, had been looking after Sai’s finances, police said.
He was held while self-styled godman Asaram was being produced before a local court in another sexual assault case. Asaram’s supporters had gathered around the court premises, and that’s when police spotted Kaushik.
“Vani Kaushik, a close aide of Narayan Sai, was apprehended in Jodhpur near the district court premises on Saturday. We have handed him over to Gujarat police, who were in the city today, and they have taken him to Gujarat for further interrogation,” said Ajay Pal Lamba, deputy commissioner of police (Jodhpur west).
Lamba said Gujarat police had been looking for Kaushik after disclosure of various undeclared properties owned by Asaram.
Last week, a woman aide of Sai was also arrested in Udaipur.
On October 6, both Asaram and Sai were slapped with separate sexual assault cases on the complaint of two sisters from Surat.
{{/usCountry}}On October 6, both Asaram and Sai were slapped with separate sexual assault cases on the complaint of two sisters from Surat.
{{/usCountry}}The younger sister accused Sai of repeated sexual assault between 1997 and 2006, while both sisters were living in Asaram’s ashram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.
Asaram is already facing charges of raping a 16-year-old girl, for which he is currently lodged in Jodhpur central jail.