Asaram Bapu’s son Narayan Sai gets bail in rape case

Narayan will be under the police surveilence during the bail period and state DGP will deploy an officer for this purpose.

Narayan Sai

The Gujarat High Court (HC) on Thursday granted 21-day interim bail to Narayan Sai, son of Asaram, to attend to his ailing mother. While granting bail, HC passed strict conditions against Sai, who will be out of jail for the first time since his arrest in an alleged rape and a bribery case.

Asaram is also behind the bars in two separate rape cases. Two Surat-based sisters had lodged separate FIRs against the father-son duo, in Ahmedabad and Surat respectively. Following his arrest, Sai was again booked in another case in which he allegedly tried to bribe policemen to weaken his case.

Justice Paresh Upadhyay granted relief to Sai, who is lodged in Surat jail since his arrest in December 2013, to attend to his ailing mother, Lakshmiben Harpalani. Harpalani was also booked by the police for allegedly abetting the rape but is out on bail. Justice Upadhyay ordered that the bail will be applicable from May 4 and Sai will be under constant police watch. He has also barred Sai to visit his ashram in Surat.

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One of the two sisters had accused Sai of sexual assault between 2002 and 2005 during her stay in the Surat ashram. Following an FIR, a Special Investigation Team (SIT), set up by the state government, probed the case and chargesheeted Sai under various sections of IPC, including rape, unnatural sex, molestation, wrongful confinement, among others. The elder sister had lodged an FIR against Asaram.

Sai’s regular bail applications have been rejected by Surat lower court as well as Gujarat High Court. He has moved Supreme Court for regular bail. On the other hand, Asaram’s plea for temporary bail to perform the last rites of his nephew was rejected by the High Court.

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