The sentencing to life imprisonment of Indian 'godman' Asaram Bapu for the rape of a 16-year-old female devotee made international headlines. The rape victim had initially made the complaint on November 29, 2013 but the final verdict was passed on April 25, 2018.
What took so long for the trial of this case?
Lawyer Poonam Chand Solanki has represented the victim. He says he not charged the victim or her family a single cent, but instead says he worked and fought fearlessly for the cause of justice.
In an exclusive interview with SBS Hindi Mr Solanki walks us through the rollercoaster of the trial from beginning to the end.
He says, “Though there is provision in POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) that every effort should be made by the court to conclude the trial within one year from the date of taking cognisance, in this case, cognisance was taken on November 29, 2013, and should have been concluded by December 2014.
India's high-profile spiritual guru Asaram Bapu has been found guilty of raping a teenage girl. (AAP) Source: AAP
"But because of the lengthy cross-examination and dilly dally tactics adopted by the accused the trial went on for almost four and a half years,” he says.
The victim’s mother was cross-examined for 17 days; the father’s cross-examination went on for 16 days. But perhaps most astonishingly was the fact that the investigating officer cross-examined for one year on different dates.
Asaram has been punished along two others, Shilpi, who was the warden of the Gurukul, and Sharad who was a director.
The victim was 16 years old at that time and her family had been avid followers of the so-called 'godman'. The parents of the girl were told that she was possessed by an evil spirit and they should go to Asaram to have her exorcised.
Supporters of Hindu religious leader Asaram Bapu, accused of sexually assaulting a minor gather outside court Source: AAP
Thereafter began the sexual abuse of the girl who hailed from Chindwara in Madhya Pradesh.
During the trial period three of the witnesses giving evidence for the victim were attacked. One of them, Kripal Singh died in July 2015.
Emotional suffering
Poonam Solanki says the girl's family endured a great deal of suffering during the trial. “They suffered financially, mentally, emotionally and they received threats of various kinds almost every day," he says.
"They had social pressure, religious pressure, physical, mental pressure, I can’t explain in words the situation the family went through, but after the verdict they are happy and they believe justice has been done.”
Mr Solanki says he, himself, was threatened several times and bribed crores of rupees but says he did not relent.
Indian godman held guilty of rape Source: Facebook
He says he was determined to get the girl and her family justice and says he did it all pro bono.
The joy in his voice is palpable as he concludes by saying, “Ultimately we got success and the so-called 'godman' has been convicted by the court with a harsh punishment which has never been given to any accused in this country.”
Source: Supplied
