The Gujarat High Court (HC) on Wednesday reserved its orders on the petitions of Asaram and his son Narayan Sai in which the two have sought to quash the rape complaints registered against them in Ahmedabad and Surat respectively. At the same time,the court has issued a notice to the state government on the quashing petitions moved by Asarams wife Laxmi,daughter Bharti and a lady follower Dhruvi and kept it for further hearing on November 26. Two sisters from Surat had lodged separate complaints of rape against Asaram and Sai with Surat police. One of the two women had accused Asaram of raping her at his farm near Motera in Ahmedabad whereas,the second woman had accused Sai of raping her at his Jehangirpura ashram in Surat. Subsequently,the complaint against Asaram,Bharti,Laxmi and some others was transferred to Ahmedabad police by Surat police. After the FIRs against them,Asarams wife,daughter,three of his lady followers and Sai moved quashing petitions before the HC. Hearing on the quashing petitions of Asaram and Narayan was concluded before a single-judge bench of the HC comprising Justice A J Desai. Lawyers of the father-son duo have denied the allegations levelled against them and sought to quash the complaints which were got registered after around 11 years. The petitions were opposed by Gujarat Government,while stating that there was nothing suspicious about the complaints which have been lodged by two married women who have put everything at stake. After hearing the two petitions for two days,the court reserved its order. The court,meanwhile,issued notices to the state government on the petitions moved by Bharti,Laxmi and Dhruvi,and kept it for further hearing on November 26. At the same time,the quashing petitions of two other women followers of Asaram and accused in one of the cases - Nirmala alias Baglo and Meera alias Dhel - have been kept for hearing on Friday. Asaram has already been arrested in the rape case registered against him by the Ahmedabad police. Whereas,his son Sai is absconding even as Surat police have issued a lookout notice against him.
