File photo of Asaram Bapu
Spiritual leader Asaram Bapu and his son Narayan Sai today filed petitions in the Gujarat High Court seeking quashing of First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against them in connection with the alleged rapes of two Surat-based sisters.
While Narayan Sai petitioned the High Court through his advocate Yatin Oza, senior advocate Sudhir Nanavati filed the plea on behalf of Asaram. Both have been accused by the two sisters of raping them between 2002 and 2004.
The petitions of the accused duo will come up for hearing on Monday.
The petitions were filed on a day when Narayan Sai, 41, issued advertisement in local dailies in Surat claiming innocence and alleging that he was being framed in the case. In those ads, Narayan Sai said that he was not absconding.
However, he has yet to report to the police for interrogation.
The police in Gujarat has sent summons for Narayan Sai to different ashrams run by his father in the state, but has been unable to locate him despite a hunt by six teams.
Asaram Bapu, 72, was arrested last month and is now in prison in Rajasthan for allegedly sexually assaulting a schoolgirl at his ashram in Jodhpur in August. He has denied the charges.
The two sisters said they were inspired by the school girl to come forward and report their story.