SC declines Asaram's bail plea

The Supreme Court Tuesday declined a plea for bail by self-styled godman Asaram Bapu in a case of allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl at his ashram in Jodhpur.

A bench of Justice T.S. Thakur, Justice R.K. Agrawal and Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel permitted him to make a fresh plea after all material witnesses, including the girl and her father, were examined by the trial court.

Earlier, counsel Vikas Singh pressed for bail, saying all the material witnesses in the case - who were coming in the way of his client getting bail - were examined by the trial court Monday and he should now be set free.

However, Additional Solicitor General Pinki Anand, appearing for the Rajasthan government, wondered how the plea for regular bail was being raised as the hearing was limited to the medical condition of Asaram.

Counsel Kamini Jaiswal, appearing for the girl's family, too raised the same objection.

Asaram's counsel said he was suffering from neurological ailment -- Trigeminal Neuralgia.

The apex court in its last hearing Jan 5 was told by a panel of doctors who examined Asaram that the godman's ailments could be treated through medication and he required no surgical intervention for Trigeminal Neuralgia.

The court Jan 5 adjourned the hearing till Tuesday as it gave time to counsel Salman Khurshid, who had appeared for Asaram, to peruse the report.

The 72-year-old Asaram, who is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail, was arrested after a 16-year-old girl lodged a police complaint Aug 20, 2013, accusing him of sexually assaulting her at his ashram in Jodhpur.

Asaram was arrested in September 2013. He is being tried under the provision of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).