Asaram Bapu, facing arrest for allegedly raping a minor, is not evading the police and is recuperating at his ashram here from illness, his son Narayan Sai said today, ending speculation about the controversial godman's whereabouts.
"Bapuji has a problem with blood pressure and is suffering from trigeminal neuralgia. Talk about his going missing and running away from police is rubbish," Sai told reporters at the self-styled godman's ashram on Khandwa Road.
There were reports about Asaram having gone missing enroute to Indore from Bhopal yesterday as he faced arrest after failing to appear before Jodhpur police for questioning in a case of sexual assault of a 16-year-old inmate of his ashram the deadline for which expired yesterda. A team of Jodhpur police was on his trail.
Earlier in the day, Bhanwarkuan Police Station Incharge Ashok Tiwari had claimed Indore police had no information about the whereabouts of the 72-year-old preacher.
"Bapuji will go to Jodhpur once there is improvement in his condition or if there is a need. Otherwise, Jodhpur police is welcome here for questioning," Sai said, adding Asaram had "great respect for law".
He said Asaram was shocked at the demise of his (Sai's) father-in-law Dev Krishnani, who handled the affairs of all his ashrams in Madhya Pradesh, and then sudden illness had prevented him from appearing before Jodhpur police.
"Bapuji had cooperated with police in the past and will continue to do so in future," Sai said.
He also apologised for recent skirmishes between Asaram's supporters and the media and asked the godman's followers to exercise restraint and not create problems for journalists.
Sai rubbished the allegation of rape against his father and said "he will come out unscathed from this controversy as he has in the past."
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