SC Questions Gujarat Govt For Slow Trial In Asaram Bapu Rape Case:- The Gujarat government has been slammed by the Supreme Court for slow trial in the rape case involving self-styled godman Asaram Bapu.

This move of the SC comes three days after Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Ram Rahim Singh was found guilty of raping two women in 2002. The state government has been asked by a bench comprising justices N V Ramanna and Amitava Roy, as to why the victim has not been examined till now, reported a leading news channel. The Gujarat government has been asked by the SC to file an affidavit in this regard.

On April 12, the Gujarat trial court had been asked by the apex court to expedite the recording of evidence of prosecution witnesses in a sexual assault case. The case was lodged by two Surat-based sisters against the self-styled godman, the report added.

The Surat trial court was then ordered by the court to record the testimonies of 46 remaining prosecution witnesses including the alleged rape victims. Earlier, on various grounds including his poor health, the top court refused to grant bail to the rape convict. There are two separate sexual assault cases against him lodged in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

The court, while dismissing his bail petition on January 30, observed that in order for the court to grant him bail, Asaram had placed ‘fake documents’, following which a registration of FIR was ordered by the court, against those responsible for preparing and filing the alleged fake papers.

Separate complaints have been lodged by the Surat-based sisters against Asaram and his son Narayan Sai. The report said, they accused him of rape and illegal confinement, among other charges. The elder sister had accused him of sexually assaulting her during her stay in his ashram between 2001 and 2006.

In the case in Rajasthan, a teenage girl, a student living in his ashram, had accused Asaram of sexual assault at the ashram in Manai village near Jodhpur.

The apex court had observed that trial in the matter was unnecessarily extended and the prosecution witnesses were being attacked. This had led to the death of two witnesses. On August 31, 2013, Asaram was arrested by the Jodhpur police and has been in jail since then.

SUPRAJA