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It was after ages that the family of the woman, who was raped by powerful self-styled godman Asaram over four years back, saw her sleeping peacefully through the night, on Wednesday, 25 April.
"I thank the Almighty, you have finally done justice and ensured that the 'dhongi' (fake) baba is punished," is how she reacted after the court in Jodhpur sentenced Asaram to a life in prison, the father of the victim told PTI.
On the night of 15 August 2013, she was just a teenager when 77-year-old Asaram sexually assaulted her. Since then, each day has been an ordeal.
We were having sleepless nights in these over four years and on Wednesday night we had a sound sleep when we were assured that Asaram cannot harm us any more, the victim's father said.
The verdict against Asaram did not just bring relief, it has also brought hope for the young woman.
He expressed confidence that after the Jodhpur court's sentence, Asaram would not be able to get relief even if he approaches higher courts as it was his family that has the blessings of God and the support of people.
He will have to pay for his sins, he emphasised.
"I will continue to fight... I am happy that I have been able to get my daughter justice in my lifetime," he said.
The victim's father, however, has one more important thing on his mind.
I will try that no one is fooled by such 'babas' in the name of religion and beliefs, he said.
In 2013, the 16-year-old girl from Shahjahanpur in UP was studying at Asaram's ashram in Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh.
The teenager had in her complaint said that Asaram had called her to his ashram in Manai area near Jodhpur and raped her on the night of 15 August 2013.
The chargesheet against Asaram and four other co-accused was filed by the police on 6 November 2013. The controversial godman was arrested in Indore and brought to Jodhpur on 1 September 2013. He was under judicial custody since 2 September 2013.
A court in Jodhpur on Wednesday awarded life sentence to the godman besides awarding 20-years in prison to two others in the case.
The self-styled godman also faces a rape case in Surat in Gujarat.
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