Another Asaram witness ‘missing’

Rahul Sachan, a key witness in three rape cases filed against jailed godman Asaram Bapu and his son Narayan Sai, have been missing from Lucknow under mysterious circumstances since November 26.

The two police constables that the state government had deputed for his security have lodged a complaint in this regard at Thakurganj police station on Monday — almost a month after the youth disappeared. The state government had provided security to the witness in May this year after he was allegedly attacked by a “follower” of the godman outside a court in Jodhpur.

Mr Sachan is a witness in two cases filed against Asaram in Jodhpur and Ahmedabad and another case against Narayan Sai in Surat.

A resident of Kanpur, Mr Sachan was living on rent in Thakurganj area in Lucknow since October.Mr Mohammad Arif, his landlord, told the police that he had posed as an Ayurveda doctor and has not returned after he left home on November 25.

A portion of his house is still locked. Mr Vijay Bahadur, the gunner posted in Mr Sachan’s security, said that he had been visiting his home regularly but found it locked and even his mobile phone was switched off. He said that he had come to know that Mr Sachan had caught a bus and left for an unknown destination.Lucknow SSP Rajesh Kumar Pandey said that an inquiry had been ordered into the matter.