Controversial Indian guru Asaram Bapu sentenced to life for rape

A controversial Indian guru with millions of followers was sentenced to life imprisonment today after being found guilty of the rape of a 16-year-old follower.

Asaram Bapu, commonly known as Bapuji, carried out the attack on the girl at his ashram in Jodhpur, the northwest Indian state of Rajasthan, on the pretext of “ridding her of evil spirits”, Gulf News reports. The 77-year-old - who has built up a vast religious empire that includes 400 ashrams, or religious retreats, across India - is expected to appeal the conviction.

His arrest, in 2013, sparked widespread protests by his followers that led to violent clashes with police.

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Ahead of today’s verdict, police were placed on high alert across three Indian states amid fears of similar violence, CNN reports.

However, Bapu’s spokesperson, Neelam Dubey, refuted suggestions that the religious leader’s followers were planning to protest if he were found guilty.

“What kind of protest?” said Dubey. “We have full respect for the courts. If the lower court verdict doesn’t go our way, we will approach the High Court or Supreme Court.”

Bapu’s case is the latest in a string of high-profile rape cases in India that have fuelled public protests and raised questions about how the nation’s police handle allegations and treat victims.

In August, another popular guru, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping two female followers, The Guardian reports.