Jodhpur: A court on Saturday rejected the bail application of self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who is in jail since September 2013 for allegedly raping a minor,
This is the sixth time his plea for relief has been turned down.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Manoj Kumar Vyas rejected the bail application of 73-year-old Asaram, stating that an accused in a crime of such nature does not deserve bail.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had on Friday argued for bail to Asaram before a court here, which reserved the decision till June 20.
The arguments on the bail application had lasted for about an hour after which the court kept the decision reserved till today.
After the arguments, Swamy had said that he has done his best and hoped that the order would be in Asaram's favour.
"I have done my best to prove that he (Asaram) has been implicated and has been kept in prison on the basis of circumstantial evidence," he said.
Swamy, who earlier in the day got an application signed by Asaram allowing him to argue his case, had said that if the bail was not granted, he would move higher court. "I would ensure his bail because he deserves it," he said.
Prosecution counsel PC Solanki, objecting to the bail, had pleaded the court to look into the circumstances under which the crime has been committed.
After hearing the arguments, Additional District and Sessions judge Manoj Kumar Vyas had reserved the matter for Saturday.
Later talking to reporters, the senior BJP leader said, "He (Asaram) has paid for his efforts to promote religion and service to the mankind by the powers with vested interest of anti-religion agenda."
Swamy had met Asaram in jail on April 23 and assured him of pleading for his bail. But the senior BJP leader had failed to appear before the court on four earlier occasions.
The 73-year-old self-styled godman is currently lodged in jail after being arrested in September 2013 for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl in one of his ashrams.
(With PTI inputs)
