New Delhi, 07 August (H.S.): The Supreme Court on Friday refused to grant relief to Narayan Sai, son of self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, in a 2013 rape case. A bench headed by Justice M.M. Sundresh declined to stay the Gujarat High Court’s order that had refused to suspend Narayan Sai’s conviction and life imprisonment sentence in the case.

However, the apex court directed the Gujarat High Court to decide Narayan Sai’s appeal challenging his conviction in the rape case within three months. The Supreme Court said that Narayan Sai as well as the Gujarat government would assist the High Court in expediting the hearing.

The court further observed that if the appeal is not decided within the stipulated three-month period, Sai would be at liberty to approach the court again for relief.

Narayan Sai is currently serving a life sentence after being convicted in a 2013 rape case. In April 2019, a Surat Sessions Court found him guilty of raping one of his former disciples and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Sai later challenged the conviction and sentence before the Gujarat High Court.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar