Gujarat police unable to take Asaram to Ahmedabad fearing violence

JODHPUR: Fearing a backlash by followers of Asaram, Gujarat Police officials are camping here and waiting for orders from their seniors to take the self-styled godman to Ahmedabad despite getting his transit remand.

"We are awaiting directions of our seniors from Gujarat regarding transit of Asaram to Ahmedabad and will decide upon it only after receiving those directions," said ACP J C Patel, head of the Gujarat Police team.

Patel said that there are certain challenges involved, which needed to be addressed in order to avoid any "untoward" happening both in transit and in Ahmedabad.

Armed with a production warrant issued by a Gandhinagar court, a Gujarat police team had on Thursday moved the Jodhpur court seeking permission to take Asaram with them for interrogation.

Yesterday, the court allowed Gujarat police the custody of Asaram for interrogation in connection with a sexual assault case lodged by two Surat-based sisters against him and his son.

"We have completed all the formalities of the jail on Friday itself and are now only awaiting further orders about Asaram," Patel said, adding that a competent senior officer would come here to decide.

Due to the ongoing festive season, the Gujarat Police is apprehensive about law and order situation on the state.

"We have also notified the senior officers about the need of additional police security," said Patel.

In such a scenario, taking him by train or by road is entirely unlikely and the only option left is taking him by flight, which too is not direct from Jodhpur to Ahmedabad, he said.