Asaram seeks temporary bail to perform last rites of nephew

AHMEDABAD: Self-styled godman Asaram, accused in a rape case filed against him by one of the two Surat-based sisters, has applied for a bail for one month in a Gandhinagar court to perform the last rites of his nephew who died recently.

Additional District Judge RA Ghoghari of Gandhinagar court is likely to hear the bail plea of Asaram on March 23.

In his plea, Asaram has stated that he should be released for thirty days to perform the last rites of his sister's son Shankar Pagrani (68) who died on March 19.

Pagrani had expressed a wish that his cremation and other post-death rituals must be performed by his maternal uncle Asaram as his parents died long ago, it said.

Asaram had earlier moved a regular bail plea before the Gujarat High Court, which was rejected in January.

Two Surat-based sisters had lodged separate complaints against Asaram and his son Narayan Sai accusing them of rape, sexual assault, illegal confinement and levelling other charges.

The elder sister, in her complaint against Asaram, had accused him of repeated sexual assaults between 2001 and 2006 during the time she was living at his ashram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.

The 73-year-old controversial religious leader is currently lodged in a Rajasthan jail after being arrested in September 2013 for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl at his Jodhpur ashram.