Asaram bail plea: Counsel Subramanian Swamy fails to turn up in court

JODHPUR: Noted lawyer Subramanian Swamy today failed to appear before a local court here for the third time to argue for the bail application of imprisoned Asaram Bapu in connection with a case of sexual exploitation of a teenaged girl.

The trial court now set June 16 as the new date for the hearing on the sixth bail application in any court by Asaram, who is lodged in Jodhpur jail for one-and-a-half year.

Swamy, a BJP leader, had moved a bail application in the trial court on May 23 and the court had listed the matter for May 26.

But Swamy did not appear in the court for arguments on his bail application on that day and the court then posted the matter for June 2, said P C Solanki, counsel for the victim girl.

Swamy did not turn up on June 2 either, after which the court listed the matter for today.

Asaram's counsel did not appear in the court today either for the "reason best known to him" and the court has posted the hearing for June 16, said Solanki.

When asked about Swamy's absence, Asaram said, "He is a nice man and would definitely come. Nobody should question his integrity."

This is the sixth bail application by Asaram in any court. Before this, five bail applications, two each in the trial court and the High Court and one in the Supreme Court have been rejected.