Apex court denies relief to Asaram Bapu in murder case

NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court Monday dismissed spiritual guru Asaram Bapu’s plea for anticipatory bail for his alleged role in a murderous bid on the life of a former disciple in Ahmedabad in December.

A bench of Justice Altmas Kabir and Justice Deepak Verma also threw out his plea for quashing the criminal case against him for his alleged role in the attack on the life of Raju Chandak on Dec 6 last year.

With the bench expressing serious reservation against granting any relief to the guru, his counsel withdrew the plea, rendering Asaram Bapu’s lawsuit “dismissed as withdrawn”.

Asaram Bapu had moved the apex court fearing arrest after registration of a first information report by Ahmedabad police naming him as an accused in the case.

He had come to the apex court after the Gujarat High Court on Dec 10 last year threw out his plea for grant of anticipatory bail and scrapping of the criminal case against him.

Ahmedabad police had registered the FIR against Asaram Bapu and two others on a complaint by Chandak. Raju Chandak was shot at by two unknown persons in Ramnagar locality of Sabarmati.

After the assault, Chandak told police from his hospital bed that he suspected Asaram Bapu to be behind the attack. He alleged that it was on the behest of Asaram Bapu that two men had fired at him while he was returning home on a motorcycle.

On Chandak’s complaint, the trio were booked for attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy. They also face charges under the Arms Act as a pistol was used in the crime.

Chandak suffered bullet injuries in his shoulders and chest following which he was referred to hospital, where he underwent a surgery.