Court denies bail to Asaram in rape case for third time

The sessions court here today rejected the bail petition of self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, arrested in a rape case.
Judge G K Upadhyaya said that a bail could not be given at this stage as the charges were of "serious nature". This is the third time Asaram has been denied bail.
While seeking the bail, Asaram's application relied on alleged contradictions in the victim's statement in the charge sheet, but the judge dismissed the argument.
On October 24 last year, Asaram had filed a bail plea on the ground of delay in filing of FIR by the police. It was rejected.

The second application, on the same ground, too was dismissed.
A Surat-based woman has accused Asaram of repeated rapes and illegal confinement between 1997 and 2006, when she was living at his ashram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.
Her sister has also levelled similar allegations against Asaram's son, Narayan Sai.
Asaram (72), is currently lodged in a Jodhpur jail after being arrested in September for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl at his Jodhpur ashram.