Self-styled godman Asaram continued to play a deft hide-and-seek game on Saturday, even as a strong posse of policemen deployed outside his arshram in Indore raised suspicions about his presence inside.
Some close aides of the godman, however, said he is “relaxing” in a farmhouse in Indore, but the claims couldn’t be confirmed independently.
On Saturday morning, around 4,000 people from across the country thronged his ashram, where the his son was conducting a havan.
After a day of high-voltage drama, Asaram, facing arrest on rape charges in a sexual assault case, surfaced at his Khandwa Road ashram in Indore on Friday night after disappearing from Bhopal’s Raja Bhoj airport, where he missed a flight to Delhi.
Around 9.30 pm, two vehicles entered his ashram at breakneck speed, raising suspicions that Asaram has arrived. His supporters also started gathering outside the ashram on Indore Khandwa Road.
By Saturday morning, the crowd swelled even as the police warned mediapersons not to be near the arshram following an attack on pressman in Jodhpur.
Read More: Asaram’s supporters attack media, six arrested
Meanwhile, Indore police said their Jodhpur counterparts are likely to reach the city by Saturday evening.
There was chaos at Bhopal airport, where Asaram’s supporters attacked the waiting army of mediapersons. Asaram reached the airport minutes before departure and was not allowed to board the flight. The godman’s SUV, also carrying his son Narayan Sai, sped away towards Indore soon after.
In Jodhpur, police officers told reporters since Asaram missed the deadline to appear before them, a team of senior officials have been sent to Bhopal to question the godman. Sources said Bapu’s arrest was imminent.
The drama in Bhopal was building up since Friday morning. Hoping to hear from Asaram himself about his plans reporters and lensmen had gathered outside his ashram in large numbers. But his son, Sai, came out to announce that his father was ill and wouldn’t move out of Bhopal.
“Asaram is not feeling well. A vaid (ayurvedic practitioner) has been called from Pune for his treatment”, he said.
Trying to pacify the godman’s disciples, Narayan Sai said, “Logo se kaha hai ki we vyathit na hon. We theek hain. Unt nikal gaya hai sirf poonchh rah gayi hai. Wah bhi nikal jaayegi (He has conveyed it to people that they should not be upset. He is fine. Major problem has been resolved and the remaining one will be resolved too).”
Another development on Friday had virtually cornered the godman. Asaram’s lawyers had petitioned the Gujarat high court for transit anticipatory bail.
They later withdrew the plea after the court made it clear that it will not entertain the petition. That left Asaram with little room to manoeuvre.
Perhaps that necessitated Asaram’s change of plans.
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