JAIPUR (India), Aug 29: Police have given a popular Indian guru a Friday deadline to answer allegations of sexually assaulting a schoolgirl, claims he angrily denounced saying he was “ready to go to prison”.

Police have summoned Asaram Bapu, one of many Indian self-styled “godmen” who attract large numbers of followers, over allegations he abused a teenage girl whose parents are members of his congregation.

The white-bearded guru has so far failed to report to a police station in the western city of Jodhpur.

“I’m ready to go to prison, that is also a kind of heaven for me,” an incensed Asaram told reporters Thursday in the central city of Bhopal, saying the claims against him were a political conspiracy. His office has previously rejected the allegations as baseless.

The incident allegedly took place on Aug 15 in Jodhpur, in Rajasthan state, where Asaram was holding a retreat for followers, including the 16-year-old girl and her parents, police said.”—AFP