NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Gujarat government on an appeal filed by jailed self-styled godman Asaram rejecting his bail plea in a rape case filed against him by a woman in 2013.
A bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and C T Ravikumar issued notice to the state government on Asaram's plea challenging the December 10, 2021 order of the Gujarat high court.
"Applications for exemption from filing a certified copy of the impugned judgment and exemption from filing official translation are allowed. Issue notice returnable on September 7, 2022," the bench said.
In his bail plea, Asaram sought relief on the ground that he is already above 80 years of age and that his health was deteriorating.
In 2018, Asaram was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court in Rajasthan for raping a minor at his ashram.
In Gujarat, two Surat-based sisters had lodged separate complaints against Asaram and his son Narayan Sai, accusing them of rape and illegal confinement.
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 in the Motera area of Ahmedabad.