Man wanted for murder of Asaram's ex-aide in Rajkot held after 10 years from Karnataka

Rajkot, Jan 10 (PTI) A man wanted in connection with the murder of self-styled godman Asaram's former associate and Ayurveda doctor Amrut Prajapati at his clinic in Gujarat's Rajkot city has been arrested after more than 10 years, police officials said on Friday.

The accused, Kishor Bodke, was nabbed by the Gujarat police from an ashram in Kalaburagi town in Karnataka, where he had living as a 'sevak' (attendant) after concealing his identity, they said.

Bodke was part of an 11-member gang who had hatched a conspiracy to eliminate witnesses in a bid to weaken the cases of sexual assault filed against the controversial preacher in Gujarat and Rajasthan, said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime, Parthrajsinh Gohil.

Asaram (86) is currently lodged in a Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan in a rape case.

Prajapati, who had served as Asaram's personal doctor, was shot dead by two assailants at his dispensary in Rajkot in June 2014.

While three persons, including sharp shooter Kartik Haldar (who had opened fire), were already arrested by police for the murder, eight other accused, including Bodke, were absconding after the incident, Gohil told reporters.

The Ayurveda doctor was vocal about Asaram's misdeeds and also became a witness in the rape case filed by one of the two victim sisters in Ahmedabad in 2013.

"Bodke was part of the plan to eliminate those who were either witnesses in the cases against Asaram or speaking against him. While three, including Haldar, were already arrested, Bodke and seven others were absconding. Recently, we learnt Bodke was living at an ashram in Kalaburagi," said the DCP.

A Rajkot police team nabbed Bodke, a native of Maharashtra, from the ashram and brought him here on Friday. The accused had been living as a 'sevak' in the ashram by hiding his identity, Gohil informed.

"A preliminary probe has revealed that apart from the Prajapati case, Bodke was also involved in attacking three other persons who had spoken against Asaram in the past. One case of acid attack was also registered against him in Surat. Now, seven accused are left to be nabbed (in Prajapati murder case). Further probe is being conducted by the CID-Crime," said the police officer.

Following his arrest in 2016 by the Gujarat ATS, Haldar had told officials he had been instructed by other 'sadhaks' (followers) of Asaram to kill witnesses so as to weaken cases against the controversial preacher. PTI COR PJT RSY