Court rejects discharge plea of Asaram's wife in rape case

Ahmedabad: A fast-track court in Gandhinagar on Monday dismissed the discharge petition filed by the self-styled godman Asaram's wife Laxmidevi, who is an accused in the rape case filed against her jailed husband.

JA Ghoghari, the judge, noted while refusing her relief that the charges against Asaram and his accomplices were serious, and a chargesheet had already been filed against them.

Asaram is behind the bars on the charges of sexual assault (IPC section 376), unnatural sex (377), illegal confinement (343) and criminal conspiracy (120-b). All these sections have also been slapped against the accomplices, including Laxmidevi.

A Surat-based woman has filed a complaint alleging that Asaram sexually assaulted her on many occasions between 2001 and 2006 when she was living at his ashram near the city.

Her younger sister has filed similar complaint against Narayan Sai, Asaram's son.

Laxmidevi is out on bail. Her discharge plea said that her alleged role was only limited to slapping the victim once, so other charges against her be quashed, and a case under IPC section 323 (causing hurt) could be registered. However, the court rejected the plea.