The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed religious leader Asaram’s bail plea in a sexual assault case lodged in Gujarat against the leader in 2013, PTI reported.

A bench headed by Justice NV Ramana was informed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Gujarat government, that the trial in the case was ongoing and 210 witnesses were yet to be examined.

The bench dismissing the plea said that the lower court will proceed with the trail and will not be influenced by the observations given by the Gujarat High Court earlier while dismissing Asaram’s plea.

The case

In 2013, two sisters from Surat had filed two separate complaints against Asaram and his son Narayan Sai, accusing them of rape and illegal confinement. In April this year, a local court in Surat awarded life imprisonment to Narayan Sai after the younger sister accused Sai of repeatedly raping her between 2002 and 2005 when she was living at his ashram.

In April 2018, Asaram was convicted in a separate rape case in Jodhpur in Rajasthan, where he is currently serving a life term awarded by the court. The case against him in Rajasthan was filed after a 16-year-old accused him of raping her in 2013.