Asaram rape case: SC refuses to give date for hearing on bail plea

Asaram had moved court seeking early hearing on his pending bail plea. He is facing prosecution in a rape case filed against him in Gujarat.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to give a date for hearing into the rape case against self-styled preacher Asaram. He had moved court seeking early hearing on his pending bail plea. He is facing prosecution in a rape case filed against him in Gujarat.

The apex court while refusing the plea for early hearing said that the matter will be heard as soon as possible. Asaram's advocate had contended that the case had earlier been listed for hearing after the Diwali vacations but now it was being shown that it will be taken up on January 4 next year.

An SC bench was earlier told that the trial proceedings before the lower court in Gujarat were getting delayed and recording of evidence of prosecution witnesses was not yet complete.

The court had in August expressed anguish over the tardy pace of progress in the case involving Asaram and had asked the Gujarat government to file a progress report on it and asking it why the alleged victim had not been examined.

The top court has rejected several bail pleas filed by Asaram in the past.

The Gujarat government had told the court that two crucial witnesses were killed while one was missing and 17 others were injured in alleged attacks. It had said that there were 92 material witnesses in the case.

On April 12, the top court had asked the Gujarat trial court to expedite the recording of evidence of prosecution witnesses in the case lodged by two Surat-based sisters.

The two sisters had lodged separate complaints against Asaram and his son Narayan Sai, accusing them of rape and illegal confinement among other charges.

The elder sister, in her complaint against Asaram, had accused him of repeated sexual assaults between 2001 and 2006 when she was staying at his ashram near Ahmedabad.

Asaram and his son have denied all the allegations against them.

Asaram, who is also facing a separate case in Rajasthan, was arrested by the Jodhpur Police on August 31, 2013 and has been in jail since then.