Trouble ahead for Asaram in twin cases of rape in Surat court
A total of nine witnesses in both (Surat and Jodhpur) cases have been attacked over the past five years. Three of them have since died.
More trouble is in store for Asaram. Two Surat-based sisters, who stayed at his ashram between 2002 and 2004, had lodged separate cases against him and his son, Narayan Sai, accusing them of repeated rape and illegal confinement. The trial in this case is on.
On April 6, the Supreme Court set a five-week deadline for the trial to complete. A total of nine witnesses in both (Surat and Jodhpur) cases have been attacked over the past five years. Three of them have since died.
The top court had pulled up the Gujarat police for delay in completion of recording of evidence. The court said that "it cannot go like this for months".
A bench of justices NV Ramana and S Abdul Nazeer, which sought to know the status of the trial, was told by Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Gujarat government, that the victims' statement has been recorded. "How much more months do you want? It cannot go on like this for months. You have to complete it in five weeks," the bench had said.