Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday appealed the people to distinguish between real saints and frauds

New Delhi, Apr 25 Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan and Congress' national general secretary Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday appealed the people to distinguish between real saints and frauds as it creates a bad image of the country in the international arena.

The statement was made soon after self-styled godman Asaram Bapu was discovered liable in a 2013 rape case earlier today.

"The time has come when people ought to have the capacity to separate between the actual saints and the frauds, as this makes a bad picture of the nation in the international arena," Gehlot told media.

"There is no harm in believing in the 'babas' but blind faith is not good," he added.

In the case registered in Rajasthan, a high school young lady from Shahajahanpur of Uttar Pradesh had blamed Asaram for assaulting her at his ashram in Manai town close Jodhpur the evening of 15 August 2013.

Asaram was captured after the teenage girl had filed a complaint against him.

The judgement for the situation was articulated inside the Jodhpur Central Jail, keeping in see the lawfulness in a circumstance in Rajasthan and neighbouring states.

Earlier in the day, people were seen offering prayers at the godman's ashram in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi, Gujarat's Ahmedabad and Punjab's Ludhiana for his vindication.

Asaram is also facing a trial in Gujarat for raping two Surat-based sisters. His child, Narayan Sai, is also an accused in the case.