Self-styled godman Asaram Bapu was convicted in a rape case by a Gandhinagar court on January 31 and was sentenced to life imprisonment. The verdict was announced by the court nine years after one of his former disciples lodged a case against him. With the judiciary handing him and his son Narayan Sai life imprisonment, people want to know the person handling the Godman’s massive empire — said to be worth Rs 10,000 crore.
The day-to-day work of this empire is being handled by Asaram’s daughter Bhartishree, who was acquitted by the court citing lack of evidence. Apart from Bharti, her mother Laxmiben and Asaram’s four disciples were also acquitted by the court.
Bharti was born to Asaram and Lakshmi Devi in 1975, two years after Asaram converted his Motera hut into an ashram on the banks of river Sabarmati in Gujarat. The 43-year-old is fondly referred to as Bharti Devi by her supporters and has been running the trust since 2013 after her father was arrested in the Jodhpur rape case.
According to a Hindustan Times report, Bharti travels extensively across all the properties of her father and also participates in daily activities. Besides these works, she also delivers pravachans. The controversial godman Asaram owns land at 45 places in Gujarat and 33 places across Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. His trust manages his properties across India which owns 400 Ashrams and 40 residential schools.
Asaram’s followers still believe that their Guru has been declared guilty on false charges. The court has convicted Asaram under Indian Penal Code Sections 376 2 (C) (rape), 377 (unnatural offences), 342 (wrongful detention) and 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty). Indian Penal Code Sections under 357 (assault) and 506 (criminal intimidation) had also been attached in the case lodged by teen rapist Godman’s former woman disciple in 2013.
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