No bail for self-styled godman, Asaram, rules SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today refused to grant interim bail on medical grounds to self styled controversial godman, Asaram, in a sexual assault case registered in Rajasthan. A bench, headed by Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, rejected Asaram's interim bail plea on health grounds in another sexual offence case lodged in Gujarat. The bench, also comprising Justice N V Ramana, held, ''The instant plea is devoid of merit and hence dismissed.'' Asaram was arrested by the Jodhpur Police on August 31, 2013 and has been in jail since then.

Keeping in view attacks on crucial deponents and the attempts of the accused to delay the trial by examining prosecution witnesses on several dates, the apex court declined to grant him bail. On October 28 last year, the apex court had asked the Rajasthan government to reply to the plea of Asaram, facing trial in rape cases. The Gujarat Government had earlier told the top court that the rape case registered against Asaram would very likely proceed in an expeditious manner, adding that the trial would be completed within six months, so bail should not be granted to him.

Two Surat-based sisters had lodged separate complaints against Asaram and his son Narayan Sai, accusing them of rape and illegal confinement, among other charges. A teenaged girl had accused him of sexual assault at his ashram in Manai village near Jodhpur. The girl, who belonged to Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, was a student living in the ashram. (UNI)