india

Updated: Jul 15, 2019 23:45 IST

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the bail plea of religious leader Asaram, who is facing trial in a rape case registered against him in Gujarat.

A bench led by Justice NV Ramana made it clear that it would not entertain such a plea until the trial in the case gets completed. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Gujarat government, informed the court that the trial in the case was going on and 10 witnesses were yet to be examined.

Asaram had moved court against the January 2015 order of the Gujarat high court which had also dismissed his bail plea. Asaram and his son Narayan Sai have been booked for rape on a complaint by two sisters. They are also accused of illegal confinement. One of them had accused Asaram of repeated sexual assaults between 2001 and 2006 when she was staying at his ashram near Ahmedabad.

While dismissing Asaram’s bail plea, the SC said the lower court will proceed with trial and not be influenced by the “prima facie” observations made by Gujarat HC’s 2015 order.