Gujarat HC rejects Asaram's plea for suspension of sentence in rape case
Ahmedabad, Aug 31: The Gujarat High Court has rejected a plea for the suspension of sentence filed by jailed self-styled godman Asaram in a 2013 rape case, stating that there were no "exceptional grounds" to consider the application.
Asaram was sentenced to life imprisonment in the case by a Gandhinagar court in 2023.
Refusing to suspend the sentence and grant him bail, a division bench of Justices Ilesh Vora and Vimal Vyas in the order passed on Thursday observed that no case for relief was made out.
The sessions court in January 2023 convicted Asaram in the 2013 rape case, filed by a woman who was living in his ashram near Gandhinagar at the time of the crime.
Asaram is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan in another rape case.
The high court noted that his contentions about possible delay in the disposal of his appeal, his age and the medical condition were not relevant to the grant of relief.
The court also considered the antecedents including alleged murder of two boys at his Sabarmati ashram and attacks on witnesses and relatives of victims.
"At this stage, considering the totality of the circumstances, the ground of possible delay in appeal and medical ailment, as well as ten years completion in jail, in our view, may not be relevant in considering the prayer of suspension of bail," the court observed.
Asaram's plea said he was the victim of a conspiracy, and the allegations of rape were false. The trial court committed an error while accepting the victim's explanation for delay of 12 years in lodging the complaint, it added.
Asaram's appeal against the conviction in a rape case in Jodhpur is pending before the Rajasthan High Court. His application for suspension of sentence in that case was rejected by the Rajasthan High Court in January this year.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
