Indian religious Guru Asaram Bapu, who claims millions of followers worldwide, has been given a life sentence for raping a 16-year-old girl.

Asaram Bapu carried out the 2013 attack at his ashram in the northern city of Jodhpur, the court ruled. He is expected to appeal.

The guru, who is 77, has 400 ashrams around the world where he teaches meditation and yoga.

He is also on trial in another rape case in western Gujarat state.

Jodhpur is on high alert because of concerns there could be violence from the guru's supporters, reports BBC Hindi's Priyanka Dubey who is in the city.

The victim had said in her complaint that Asaram had called her to his ashram in Manai area near Jodhpur and raped her on the night of August 15, 2013, PTI reported. Final arguments in the case had been completed by the special court for SC/ST cases on April 7 and the court had kept the order reserved for Wednesday.

He was arrested in Indore and brought to Jodhpur on September 1, 2013. 

He is under judicial custody since September 2, 2013.The chargesheet against Asaram and four other co-accused Shiva, Shilpi, Sharad and Prakash was filed by the police on November 6, 2013 under various sections of the POSCO Act, Juvenile Justice Act and IPC.

According to PTI, he was being tried for IPC 342 (Wrongful confinement), IPC 376(2)(F) (Rape of a minor girl), IPC 376 D (Rape), IPC 354 A (Outraging the modesty of a woman), IPC 506 (Criminal intimidation) and IPC 109 (Abetment to an offence). 

Asaram Bapu is likely to be sentenced to 10 years in jail or life imprisonment.Asaram is also facing a rape case in Surat in Gujarat in which the Supreme Court earlier this month gave five weeks time to the prosecution to complete the trial.Asaram unsuccessfully moved 12 bail applications, of which six were rejected by the trial court, three by the Rajasthan High Court and three by the Supreme Court.