Narayan Sai files for anticipatory bail

Surat – Narayan Sai, son of the tainted religious leader Asaram, moved a local court on Friday seeking anticipatory bail in the offence of rape and other crimes lodged against him by a 30-year-old woman.

The sessions court will start hearing on the plea on October 15.

Sai’s lawyers Gautam Desai and Kalpesh Desai have questioned the delay in filing the complaint and its timing. The woman, whose sister also lodged a complaint of rape against Asaram, had accused Sai of raping her several times from 2001 to 2005.

“The contents of the complaint look improper, improbable and motivated as it has been filed after more than 10 years,” Desai told TOI.

“There is something fishy about the timing. He also said that complainant did not share the details of the alleged crime for so many years with any of her near and dear ones but frequently visited the ashram for a long time.

“It seems that some facts are manipulated to intentionally rope in Narayan Sai,” said Desai. Surat police teams are hot on the trail of Sai.

The women have also named Asaram’s wife Lakshmi and daughter Bharati in their complaints for helping Asaram in the crime.

The younger sister was allegedly raped between 2001 and 2006 in Jehangirpura ashram of Surat, whle the the elder has alleged that she was raped in Ahmedabad ashram between 1997 and 2007 by Asaram.

Meanwhile, chief judicial magistrate J N Thakkar heard the appeal of prosecution demanding copy of the woman’s statement registered under section 164 of CrPC.

The order on the plea was reserved for Monday.