More trouble seems to be in store for controversial godman Asaram Bapu, who is already behind bars in Jodhpur for his alleged involvement in the rape of a teenage girl. On Sunday, a fresh First Information Report (FIR) was registered against him and his son Narayan Sai for sexual assault on two sisters from Surat.

The FIR was lodged by the two victims in the Jehangirpura police station of the city, alleging that they had been raped between 2002 and 2004 in different ashrams of the godman. The eldest sister alleged that she was raped by Asaram at his Ahmedabad ashram, while the younger alleged that she was sexually assaulted by his son in the Surat ashram.

The two have further alleged that they were taken to different ashrams in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, and raped there as well. “These are grave and serious allegations, and we have filed cases under several sections of the law, including Section 376. We have also transferred the rape case, which is alleged to have taken place at the Ahmedabad ashram, to the local police there for the investigations, and we are probing the one at the Surat ashram,” said Surat Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana.

The complainants have also named Asaram’s wife and daughter in the FIR, alleging that they were in the know of the sexual assault in the Ahmedabad ashram.

When police questioned the complainants on the delay in filing an FIR, the two reportedly told investigators that they had been too scared to lodge a complaint. “It was only after the Jodhpur case and the subsequent arrest of Asaram that they mustered the courage to lodge a complaint. We will carry out a detailed investigation on their complaint,” said Asthana
Ashram officials denied the charges.

“If the incidents happened in 2002 or 2004, why are they speaking now? There is some conspiracy behind this. There have been reports against Bapu since 2008.  If they are rapists, how can there be several hundred women followers of Bapu,” asked ashram PRO Neelam Dubey.