Jodhpur: 9:46 am: Sources say that Asaram has time till Friday evening and if he doesn't appear for questioning, teams will be sent to Chindwara, Bhopal and Ahmedabad.
8:48 am: A team has been set up to travel to Madhya Pradesh and arrest self-styled godman Asaram if he fails to appear for questioning by Friday evening. Asaram's lawyer called the Jodhpur police to say that Asaram has lost someone in the family and so he cannot appear. But police are not treating it as official communication.
Asaram's assistant hostel warden, Gurukul attendant and ashram staff failed to appear for questioning before the Jodhpur police in connection with the sexualt assault case on Thursday. All three employees were served summons asking them to appear on August 29.
"We had asked them to appear before the investigating officer today and waited for them the entire day. But none of the trio appeared for the interrogation despite of their assurances," said a police official. Police, however, said that more than the trio's statements, they were waiting for Asaram to appear before them for questioning.
All eyes are on self-styled godman Asaram if he will appear before the Jodhpur police for questioning over charges of sexually harassing a minor girl. The deadline set by the police for him to appear for questioning ends on Friday.
The Jodhpur police aren't ruling out arresting him, if he doesn't appear on Friday for questioning. "If Asaram doesn't come, then we can go to him and arrest him," said Jodhpur commissioner Biju George Joseph.
Earlier on Thursday, Asaram lost his cool on reporters when asked whether he enjoyed political protection. But Asaram, himself, is now sensing politics in this case. He held Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi responsible for his present state of affairs.
The Congress has out-rightly denied these claims saying they are frivolous. But Asaram, who is known to have close relations with several top politicians, seems to have run into a fierce opponent in the form of the Rajasthan Police.
In the past too, there have been several allegations of sexual assault and cheating that have been levelled against Asaram. He has come out clean on all occasions.
Now, as his supporters threaten to launch a nationwide agitation in his defence, it will take some definite management from Asaram to come out of this latest crisis.
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