Ahmedabad:
A Gandhinagar court on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of self-styled godman Asaram, arrested on sexual assault case lodged by one of the two Surat sisters.
Asaram's bail plea was rejected by Sessions judge DT Soni on the grounds that the investigation in the case is at a "crucial juncture" and the allegations are of "serious nature."
The Surat Police recently registered two complaints against Asaram and another against his son Narayan Sai for rape, sexual assault, illegal confinement and other charges, as alleged by the two sisters.
In her complaint, the elder sister has accused Asaram of repeated sexual assault between 1997 and 2006 during the time she lived in his ashram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city.
72-year-old Asaram was brought to the city earlier this month on a transit remand from a Jodhpur court, where he was lodged in a jail since August, in another sexual assault case.
He was grilled by Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by city police commissioner to probe the complaint against him. Last week, he was taken back to Jodhpur.
His son, Narayan Sai, against whom the younger of the two sisters has registered a complaint of sexual assault, is absconding and Surat police are searching for him across the country.
Meanwhile, one Jaswantika Chaudhary, a security woman stationed at Asaram's ashram here, was granted anticipatory bail by Soni in connection with the case on the grounds that her role in the incident was minimal. She was also named as an accused in the complaint lodged against Asaram.
(With PTI inputs)
