SUDHA PATHAK.

▮ Identity sealed · POCSO §23

Prosecution witness

Jodhpur, Rajasthan

“Sudha Pathak is a Jodhpur prosecution witness who turned hostile in court in July 2015 following intense pressure and intimidation. Pathak, a former farm worker at Asaram's ashram, filed a life threat application before reversing her statements in court.”

Sudha Pathak was employed as a agricultural laborer and helper at one of Asaram Bapu's properties in Rajasthan. Because of her work at the ashram during the period of the alleged offense, she was listed as a prosecution witness in the Jodhpur rape case. Her scheduled testimony took place during the summer of 2015, a period marked by a series of violent attacks against witnesses, including the stabbing of Rahul Sachan and the murder of Kripal Singh.

Prior to her appearance in court, Pathak filed a formal application with the Jodhpur Sessions Court, expressing serious concerns for her safety and stating that she was receiving threat calls from unidentified devotees warning her not to testify against Asaram. However, on July 8, 2015, when she appeared in the witness box, Pathak turned hostile, reversing her earlier statements to the police and claiming she had no knowledge of Asaram Bapu's private activities or the victim's visit.

During cross-examination by the prosecution, Pathak denied that she was under current pressure or threat to change her testimony, despite her previous written application to the court. Her hostile turn was widely seen by legal experts and the media as a direct result of the climate of fear created by the ongoing attacks on witnesses. She was one of several witnesses in the Jodhpur and Surat trials who changed their testimonies due to safety concerns.

Following her hostile deposition, Pathak withdrew from the public eye and did not face perjury charges, which is common in cases involving witness intimidation. Her case remains a significant example of how witness intimidation successfully compromised the prosecution's case in court, illustrating the challenges faced by the judiciary in protecting vulnerable witnesses from powerful religious organizations.