A high-profile spiritual guru in India with a huge following has been handed a life sentence for raping a teenage girl in 2013. The judge announced the verdict against Asaram Bapu, 77, inside a jail in the northern state of Rajasthan on Wednesday, as heavy security was deployed in the region to prevent violence by his followers.
The guru was convicted of the rape of the 16-year-old girl at his ashram, Utsav Bains, the victim's lawyer told broadcaster NDTV.
Asaram has 400 ashrams that teach meditation and yoga, and he has millions of followers around the world.
The controversial guru is also on trial, along with his son, in another rape case in which two sisters have accused the men of rape.
Asumal Harpalani was born in April 1941 in a village called Bernai in Sindh region in present-day Pakistan.
His family migrated to Ahmadabad city in Gujarat after the partition of India.
In the 1960s, he started practising spiritualism with different gurus - one of whom gave him the name Asaram. He formed his first ashram in 1972 on the banks of the Sabarmati river in Motera town of Gujarat.
His influence spread to different parts of India and around the world in the following decades.
According to his website, he has 40 million followers around the world and has built 400 spiritual retreats across 19 countries.
Important Indian politicians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have attended his sermons in the past.
He also has properties worth millions of dollars across India. The police are also investigating him for corruption and forgery.
