JODHPUR: Rajasthan High Court on Saturday granted bail and suspended the sentence of a co-accused in Asaram sexual assault case, Sanchita Gupta alias Shilpi. She was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by a trial court and was also ordered to deposit a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh and two surety bonds each of Rs 1 lakh to get the bail.
She had challenged her sentence in the high court. The arguments on the appeal had completed on Wednesday and the court had reserved the order, said her counsel Mahesh Bora. The single bench of Justice Vijay Bishnoi granted her the bail.
While announcing the verdict the high court observed that the prosecution failed to establish any direct link and evidence that Sanchita Gupta alias Shilpi, had sent the victim girl and her parents to self styled godman and main accused Asaram in Jodhpur at Manai based ashram, the lawyer said citing the court order.
The trial court had sentenced Asaram to life imprisonment and another co accused Sharad to 20 years for sexual harassment of a student in the ashram.
