India’s criminal justice system let down the minor rape victim who fought against a powerful godman, her lawyer has told SBS Punjabi.
Asaram Bapu, a controversial spiritual guru followed by millions, was jailed for life by a court in India on Wednesday for raping a 16-year-old devotee in 2013.
“Some people are celebrating the verdict as a victory for India’s criminal justice system. But it’s actually an extraordinary story of struggles of a daughter and her father for justice,” says Utsav Bains who represented the victim in a related case in India’s highest court.
The Asaram judgment is being celebrated as a victory of the criminal justice system, but in fact this case is in reality a story about an extraordinary fight of a girl and her father for justice, who were repeatedly failed by the criminal justice system at every step. - Utsav Bains
He says the teenage victim’s security was withdrawn while the final arguments in the rape case were still underway in the court to pressure her to back out. Mr Bains petitioned the Supreme Court of India, asking for the security cover for the victim to be restored. 
The self-proclaimed godman who owns properties worth nearly half a billion dollars was often seen in the company of highly placed political functionaries before his arrest in connection with the August 2013 rape.
Utsav Bains represented the victim in India's top court. Source: Facebook
The victim, who was then 16 at the time, was reportedly taken by her father to Asaram’s ashram to cure her from evil spirits. However, she stated in her complaint that she was asked to perform oral sex and was touched inappropriately.
While the trial against the guru was underway two key witnesses against him, including his former personal secretary, were killed and many other witnesses were attacked or went missing.
Mr Bains says no one has been held responsible for those attacks.
A crowd stand outside the Central Prison where spiritual guru Asaram Bapu is held after an Indian court pronounced verdict on him in Jodhpur, India. Source: AAP
“Two witnesses in the case were murdered, ten other witnesses were assaulted But to date, the criminal justice system has failed to hold anyone to account for those crimes.” Mr Bains told SBS Punjabi.
“To me, it seems the girl who was the victim, was treated like an accused and Asaram who is the perpetrator of these crimes was treated like a victim.
“The entire system seemed tilted towards Asaram” he said.
He says the system in India works in a way that favours rich and powerful perpetrators, rather than poor victims.
Asaram and his son Narain Sai face charges in another rape case, filed by two sisters in the state of Gujarat.
Last year, another self-styled godman, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan, was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for raping two female devotees after a protracted legal case lasting 15 years.
Claiming to have a following of 50 million, Ram Rahim wielded massive political clout in India politics, sometimes openly asking his followers to vote for a particular party.
