Several passengers tagged DMRC, questioning why the corporation was promoting a criminal.
An advertisement in the coaches and outside Delhi Metro stations sparked outrage among passengers recently. Promoting ‘Parents’ Worship Day’ on February 14, the ad featured rape convict Asaram Bapu smiling.
Several passengers tagged Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) sharing photos of the ad, demanding their immediate removal and questioning why the corporation was promoting a criminal. “you’re really allowing ads featuring a convicted r*pist? Shameful,” condemned one X user.
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A Gujarat court in 2023 convicted the 86-year-old self-styled godman for raping a minor girl in 2013. Undergoing a life sentence, Asaram Bapu was granted interim bail this year till March 31 on medical grounds. He has multiple rape and murder cases against him.
The Delhi Metro took to X (formerly Twitter) to issue a statement regarding the same. DMRC stated that immediate instructions to the licensee to get the advertisements removed from the Metro premises have been issued. It added that the process of removal will start tonight, but it may take some time for their removal from the system.
“DMRC has issued immediate instructions to the licensee to get these advertisements removed from the Metro premises at the earliest. The process of removal of these ads shall be started tonight. However, it may take some time for their removal from the system,” tweeted DMRC.
DMRC has issued immediate instructions to the licensee to get these advertisements removed from the Metro premises at the earliest. The process of removal of these ads shall be started tonight. However, it may take some time for their removal from the system.
— Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (@OfficialDMRC) February 7, 2025
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Asaram Bapu
In the 2013 rape of a minor girl, Asaram was booked under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Juvenile Justice Act (JJ Act), and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) in addition to the charges of trafficking, rape, outraging a woman’s modesty, wrongful confinement, and criminal intimidation.
During the criminal trial of Asaram that started in 2014, nine witnesses were attacked while four were killed.
After the Supreme Court granted him his first-ever interim bail in another rape case, the Rajasthan High Court on January 14 granted interim bail to Asaram Bapu. The police also provided additional security to the family members of the rape survivor a day after the apex court’s bail order.
Meanwhile, in an interim order passed on Thursday, the Supreme Court granted police protection to officials of OTT platform Discovery+ after they received threats from “groups claiming to be supporters of Asaram Bapu” following the release of the documentary series Cult of Fear: Asaram Bapu?
