English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

Supreme Court raps Gujarat government over slow trial in rape case against Asaram Bapu

Published

on

Supreme Court raps Gujarat government over slow trial in rape case against Asaram Bapu

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Asaram has been in jail since August 31, 2013 for allegedly raping a 16-yearold schoolgirl and is facing prosecution under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. He has also been accused of rape by two Surat-based sisters, a case that is pending trial in Gandhinagar

 Hours before a special CBI court sentenced Dera Sachha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim to serve 10 years in prison for allegedly raping two of his followers in 2002, the Supreme Court, on Monday, ticked off the Gujarat government for dragging its feet in the trial of another self-styled Godman – Asaram Bapu – in a rape case that dates back to 2013.

The apex court was hearing a bail plea moved by Asaram, who has been lodged in a jail in Jodhpur, Rajasthan since August 2013. The court, which has rejected several bail pleas moved by the Godman earlier, also questioned the Gujarat government on why the victim in the case had not yet been examined.

“Why is there a delay despite the earlier direction for expeditious trial? Why has the victim not been examined so far…she is the most crucial witness in this case”, a bench of Justices N V Ramana and Amitava Roy said. The Bench, which posted the matter for its next hearing after Diwali, also directed Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the Gujarat government, to file a progress report in the case by the next date of hearing.

Mehta informed the Bench that two crucial witnesses in the case had been killed while one is missing and 17 others injured in different attacks. He said that the woman will be presented in the court for examination once the government can ensure her safety. The counsel also pointed out that 45 out of 92 material witnesses in the case had been examined so far.

Advocate Saurabh Ajay Gupta, who appeared for Asaram, said that the counsel of the accused have to prove the Godman’s defence for which examination of the victim is important as they will not be able to press for bail until this legal requirement is met with.

The victim’s lawyer, senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, sought speedy trial of the case and said that the court should issue a direction to examine his client beforeSeptember 23, which is the next date of hearing of the case before the trial court.

Asaram, who has been lodged in a jail in Jodhpur, Rajasthan since August 2013, is accused of raping a 16-year-old schoolgirl at his ashram earlier that year. The minor girl, a resident of Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, had claimed that she was raped by Asaram while staying in his ashram in Manai village near Jodhpur. Asaram faces prosecution under provisions of the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act of 2013 based on the girl’s complaint and has been in jail since filing of FIR in 2013.

The 76-year-old Godman is also accused in another case of rape registered in Gujarat which was filed by two Surat based sisters who had accused Asaram and his son Narayan Sai of sexually assault between 2001 and 2006 while they were staying at Asaram’s ashram in Surat. The trial in this case is pending in a court in Gandhinagar.

This is not the first time that the apex court has noted unnecessary delay in the case. On April 12, the court had asked a trial court in Gujarat to expedite the recording of evidence of prosecution in the cases filed by the Surat sisters.

The apex court, on November 18 last year, had also noted that the prosecution witnesses were being attacked and sought the response of the Centre and the five states on a plea seeking a CBI probe into the alleged murders and attacks on witnesses.

On January 30, the court while dismissing his bail plea had observed that a fake document had been submitted in the court to persuade them to grant him bail. The court had then ordered registration of an FIR against those responsible for preparing and filing the alleged fake papers.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai says party will sweep Karnataka and emerge victorious in Telangana, accuses DMK, AIADMK of influencing voters in Coimbatore

Annamalai expressed his confidence of a historic result for the NDA on June 4, the IPS officer-turned-politician said the BJP will see a rise in its vote share in Tamil Nadu

Published

on

Tamil Nadu BJP chief and party candidate from Coimbatore seat K Annamalai said the time of Dravidian politics is over and also accused the ruling DMK and AIADMK of spending Rs 1,000 crore in Coimbatore to influence voters. Annamalai made the statement after casting his vote at Uthupatti polling booth in Karur village on Friday.

He expressed his confidence of a historic result for the NDA on June 4, the IPS officer-turned-politician said the BJP will see a rise in its vote share in Tamil Nadu. Annamalai further added people of Tamil Nadu are with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  

He said in the state of Karnataka the party is expecting a clean sweep this time. The State BJP chief said the BJP will be the number 1 party in Telangana. He said he was confident that Tamil Nadu will deliver a very big resounding result this time. He said there will be a rise in BJP’s vote share in the state and time of Dravidian politics is over.

In Coimbatore, K Annamalai is contesting the election from Coimbatore and is facing DMK’s Ganapathy P Rajkumar and AIADMK’s Singai Ramachandran. All 39 seats in Tamil Nadu will go for voting in the first phase. K Annamalai spoke to the media after casting his vote and accused the ruling DMK and AIADMK of spending more than Rs 1,000 crore in Coimbatore to influence the voters.

He said if the ruling DMK and AIADMK can bring 1 voter in front of the media to say that BJP is trying to influence them, then he will leave politics the same day because he is running in this election as a matter of principle. The elections to the state of Tamil Nadu will be closely monitored as the state has been at the centre of the BJP’s southern push in order to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 400 paar goal.

Continue Reading

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Newly married couple cast vote in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur, video goes viral

A video went viral amid the ongoing Phase 1 of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, where a couple went to cast a vote in Udhampur soon after their wedding, in their wedding dresses

Published

on

People from all walks of life have come together to participate in the biggest festival of democracy as the Lok Sabha elections for the first phase have begun. Voters of all ages, including first-time voters, exercised their right to vote during the first phase of the election. A bride and groom appeared at the booth to cast their votes in an unusual incident that took place in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir.

The video of the couple is now going viral on the internet. Netizens are praising them for exercising their right. A user said these couples are inspiration to many. Another congratulated them and said they had set an example in the society.

Meanwhile, the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency, which is comprised of the five districts of Udhampur, Kathua, Ramban, Doda, and Kishtwar, began polling at 7 a.m. despite bad weather.

In a simillar incident, Kapil Gupta married on Thursday and shortly after returned home on Friday morning, he cast his vote at a polling booth that was put up on the premises of the Jammu and Kashmir Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes & Backward Classes Development Corporation Limited in Udhampur town.

He urged people to cast their ballots in big numbers, saying, voting is our right and must be done on priority.

Sahil and Radhika, another recently-wed couple, showed up at an election booth set up at an Udhampur school dressed as bride and groom.

The bride said, on Thursday, the day when they got married, she suggested to to her husband that they will go for voting. Although her vote was not there but she accompanied her husband to the polling booth.

She continued saying that she will be visiting her parents later in the day, which is in a nearby village to fulfil her democratic right as well.

In Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur-Kathua, voting is presently underway. However, despite of bad weather, people are going to polling boot to cast their vote. Voting is scheduled to end at 6 pm.

Continue Reading

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Vijay Sethupathi, Dhanush vote in Chennai

Superstar Rajinikanth was accompanied by his publicist and his team at the polling both. He greeted everyone and flashed his inked finger for the media.

Published

on

Superstar Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan cast their votes at their respective polling booths in Chennai on Friday. Actor Dhanush cast his vote at the St Francis Xavier School, TTK Road. Vijay Sethupathi exercised his duty at the Chennai High School in Kilpauk.

Voting for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 started on Friday. The people of Tamil Nadu will go for voting in the first phase of the elections today. Rajinikanth was accompanied by his publicist and his team at the polling both. He greeted everyone and flashed his inked finger for the media.

A video shows superstar Rajinikanth arriving at his booth and exercising his duty is circulating on social media. He was mobbed by fans while exiting the polling booth. Actor Kamal Haasan, and Makkal Needhi Maiam president, arrived at his election booth to cast his vote. Actor Dhanush cast his vote at the St Francis Xavier School in TTK Road at around 8 am. Vijay Sethupathi cast his vote at the Chennai High School in Kilpauk.

According to reports Ajith Kumar was one of the first actors to cast his vote in Chennai. Social media user Ramesh Bala took to X and shared a video of the actor at the polling station. The actor was seen voting in Thiruvanmiyur early on Friday. Ajith, Rajinikanth and Sivakarthikeyan spoke to the press after voting and urged people to come out and exercise their duty.

Superstar Rajinikanth will be seen next in director TJ Gnanavel’s Vettaiyan. The film features an ensemble cast including Rana Daggubati, Fahadh Faasil, Amitabh Bachchan, Manju Warrier, and Dushara Vijayan, Ritika Singh in pivotal roles. Upcoming projects of Dhanush include Raayan, Kubera and Nilavukku En Mel Ennadi Kobam. Ajith was last seen in the 2023 film Thunivu. He is currently shooting for Vidaa Muyarchi, which is helmed by Magizh Thirumeni and also stars Trisha, Arjun Sarja, Regina Cassandra and Arav in important roles.

Continue Reading

Trending

-->

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com