Asaram case: Court rejects woman's plea for new statement

A court in Gandhinagar on Monday turned down the plea of a 33-year-old woman, who had accused self-styled godman Asaram of sexual assault, to record a fresh statement under section 164 of CrPc.

The woman had last week filed the application seeking re-recording of her statement in connection with the case. During hearing today, Chief Judicial Magistrate J S Parikh turned down her plea after it was opposed by Special Public Prosecutor R C Kodekar who said the victim had already registered her statement before magistrate under section 164 of CrPC.

The statement recorded under the said section is admissible at the stage of trial unlike the one recorded before police. The woman, then based in Surat, had accused Asaram of repeatedly raping her when she was living in his Motera-based ashram here 17 years ago, while her younger sister charged Asaram's son Narayan Sai with sexually assaulting her.

Asaram and Sai have been in jail for last one year after their arrest. Gujarat Police had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the case and appointed Kodekar as SPP. SIT had already submitted a charge sheet in the case but the trial is yet to begin.