In a significant ruling on Friday, the Gujarat High Court allowed Narayan Sai, a convicted rapist, to visit his father, Asaram, also a convicted criminal, in Jodhpur Central Jail for a brief meeting of four hours. The court cited “humanitarian grounds” due to Asaram’s deteriorating health conditions. This decision came despite denying Sai’s request for a 30-day bail.
Narayan Sai, currently incarcerated in Surat’s Lajpore Central Jail for the repeated sexual assault of a woman at his father’s ashram between 2002 and 2005, has not met his father in over 11 years. Asaram, a self-styled godman, is serving a life sentence in Jodhpur for the sexual exploitation of a minor.
The division bench, comprising Justices Ilesh Vora and SV Pinto, addressed Sai’s plea, which highlighted Asaram’s critical health issues, including several heart attacks. Sai’s application stressed that Asaram, aged 86, is suffering from life-threatening ailments that require immediate and better medical attention, which the jail facilities might not sufficiently provide.
Despite the plea for temporary bail, the court restricted the meeting to a supervised short duration under strict conditions, including police escort and all expenses borne by Sai himself. Public Prosecutor Hardik Dave had strongly opposed the bail, citing potential risks of public disorder from Asaram’s followers who had previously assaulted witnesses.
The court has instructed Sai to deposit Rs 5 lakh towards the logistical expenses of his travel, which includes an elaborate security arrangement. The meeting will be confined to the father and son without the presence of any other family members, ensuring control over the situation.
