On Wednesday, self-styled godman Asaram was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a 16-year-old who has disclosed that he asked her “surrender’ to him, and said that even big officials ‘bow their head’ in front of him.

A resident of Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, the victim had gone to Asaram’s ashram in Jodhpur with her parents in order to get cured of an ‘evil spirit’ on August 14, 2013. She was asked to stay in the ashram by her parents after reciting some mantras.

She was then called by Asaram to his room, where he asked her about her studies.

“What will you do by becoming a CA? Big officers bow their head at my feet,” he said. The godman said that she should not become a chartered accountant and study for a B.Ed after which he would make her a teacher and later the principal of his ‘gurukul’ (school).

He then sexually assaulted her, confining her to the room for an hour and a half and told her to remain quiet about it but she informed her mother. A complaint was lodged by the parents against him, after which the subsequent trials began.

During the rape trial, three witnesses were killed and a key witness received death threats from the 79-year-old godman’s supporters. Such instances prove that what is needed is a robust witness protection programme.

“We understand there are lakhs of cases, but it can be done for sensitive cases. Why can’t the ministry of home affairs make out some draft programme on witness protection?” the apex court had asked.

With these self-styled saints, openly boasting about the system ‘bowing’ at their feet, one can deduce the level of power they possess. In such a scenario, it’s high time that a witness protection system is constituted to save the rare proof that is found against these corrupt ‘babas.’

H/T: Hindustan Times