The Supreme Court Tuesday criticised the government for unnecessarily providing heavy security to spiritual guru Asaram Bapu, accused of sexually assaulting a minor girl.
"We are seeing on TV hordes of security around one accused," the bench of Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice V. Gopala Gowda observed.
"Everybody says these are aberrations but they have become the rule," said Justice Singhvi.
Dwelling on the path that modern-day godmen take to reach the top, the court said, “These people start as drug peddlers, initially acquire wealth, join politics and religion, grab more property and become more powerful.”
If they are tantriks, they hypnotise people, the court said, adding that “law journals are replete with instances of such people committing heinous crimes”.
The court's observation came in the course of the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking withdrawal of security cover to undeserving people who use it a status symbol.
Asaram Bapu was Monday sent to 14 days' judicial custody in Rajasthan.
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