Ahmedabad: Saint Asaram Bapu has moved the Supreme Court seeking bail in a rape case in Gujarat. After which the apex court issued notice and sought a reply from the Gujarat government. The petition has challenged the Gujarat High Court order rejecting his bail plea in a rape case filed against him in 2013. A bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and CT Ravikumar issued notice to the Gujarat government and sought its response on Asaram's plea.

The apex court will now hear the matter on September 7. The petition was filed through advocate-on-record Amit Pai. Senior advocate Devdutt Kamat and advocate Rajesh Inamdar argued on behalf of Asaram in the Supreme Court. Self-styled godman Asaram has sought bail after sympathetic consideration, citing his advanced age, ailments and no sign of reaching a conclusion of the trial in the petition. He is already over 80 years of age, the petition said. His health continues to deteriorate. Asaram is facing charges of illegally confining and raping two sisters from Gujarat.

Following objections raised by the prosecution in the case, while rejecting Asaram's bail plea on December 10, 2021, Justice A J Desai of the Gujarat High Court also directed the Gandhinagar sessions court to complete the trial of the case in 4 months. But, Asaram argues that he has been in jail for nine years. So far, there are no signs of the trial being completed in any time frame. In such a situation, the court should hear his bail and direct his release, so that he can get good treatment.

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