Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) apprehended another suspect in 2015 Akhil Gupta murder case. The accused, who was apprehended in Delhi, had been on the run for the past seven years.
Akhil Gupta worked as a cook and personal aide to Asaram, who has been imprisoned since August 2013. Gupta, 35, was shot at by unidentified individuals on January 11, 2015. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His death was significant because Akhil was the key witness in the rape case against the self-styled godman accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old schoolgirl.
According to police, Akhil Gupta was on his way home when he was shot at. When he gave a statement against Asaram Bapu in 2013, he was questioned by Gujarat Police. Along with his statement, he provided police with evidence implicating Asaram in the Surat rape case.
Following that, Naresh Gupta, the slain witness’s father, demanded a CBI investigation into his son’s murder. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched an investigation into the murder after receiving documents from the Muzaffarnagar local police in Uttar Pradesh.
The family of Akhil Gupta was given security in 2018, and on April 25, the same year, Jodhpur Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Court sentenced Asaram to life imprisonment for raping the 16-year-old at his Chindwara-based Gurukul or Ashram.
In addition to Asaram, his two accomplices, Hostel Warden Shilpi and Hostel Director Sharat, were sentenced to 20 years in prison for their roles in the case.
The Supreme Court recently denied Asaram bail on medical grounds, observing that the trial was ongoing and scheduling the case for further hearing in January.