Asaram Bapu case: Demand for CBI probe grows louder
The demand for a CBI inquiry into the rape case against Asaram Bapu and subsequent killings of witnesses grew louder today with the 16-year-old victim and the father of a slain witness seeking a probe by the central agency into the episode.
The fresh demand came days after the killing of third witness in the case even as police intensified searches in Shahjahanpur and Lucknow ashrams to nab the culprits who had on July 10 pumped bullets into key witness Kripal Singh (35) in Shahjahanpur leading to his death a day after.
"I want the Prime Minister to ensure justice to me by ordering a CBI probe into the 2013 (rape) incident," the girl said in Bareilly.
In Muzaffarnagar, the father of another slain witness made a fresh demand for a CBI inquiry into his son's murder. Naresh Gupta sought a CBI probe into the murder of his son Akhil alleging that the local police failed to trace the accused even six months after the incident took place.
Thirty-five--year--old Akhil, a former cook and personal aide of Asaram, was the prime witness in the rape case against the self--styled godman in Surat. He was shot dead on Jansath Road under New Mandi police station area in Muzaffarnagar on his way home by unidentified assailants on January 11.
Meanwhile, police launched a manhunt to nab the three assailants who killed Kripal Singh in Puwayan area of Shahjahanpur when he was returning home from market on July 10 night.
Teams of Crime Branch, Special Task Force (STF) and UP Police have been deployed to arrest the killers and searches were conducted at ashrams of Asaram in Shahjahnapur and Lucknow, a senior police officer said.
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