Fast-track court rejects discharge plea of Asaram's wife in rape case
A fast-track court in Gandhinagar on Monday dismissed the discharge petition filed by the self-styled godman Asaram's wife Laxmidevi, who is an accused in the rape case filed against her jailed husband.
Ahmedabad: A fast-track court in Gandhinagar on Monday dismissed the discharge petition filed by the self-styled godman Asaram's wife Laxmidevi, who is an accused in the rape case filed against her jailed husband.
Self-styled godman Asaram Bapu. PTI
JA Ghoghari, the judge, noted while refusing her relief that the charges against Asaram and his accomplices were serious, and a chargesheet had already been filed against them.
Asaram is behind bars on the charges of sexual assault (IPC section 376), unnatural sex (377), illegal confinement (343) and criminal conspiracy (120-b). All these sections have also been slapped against the accomplices, including Laxmidevi.
A Surat-based woman has filed a complaint alleging that Asaram sexually assaulted her on many occasions between 2001 and 2006 when she was living at his ashram near the city.
Her younger sister has filed similar complaint against Narayan Sai, Asaram's son.
Laxmidevi is out on bail. Her discharge plea said that her alleged role was only limited to slapping the victim once, so other charges against her be quashed, and a case under IPC section 323 (causing hurt) could be registered. However, the court rejected the plea.
PTI
also read
Pentagon accused of blocking effort to hand Russia war crimes evidence to ICC
The Biden White House and State Department have advocated working with the ICC to hold Russian forces accountable for extensive war crimes, but the Defense Department has a staunch opposition on the grounds that the precedent could one day be used against US soldiers
Ethiopia rejects US war crime allegations as 'inflammatory'
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who last week made his first visit to Ethiopia since a breakthrough November 2022 peace deal between the federal government and Tigrayan rebels, on Monday made a forceful call for accountability on his return to Washington
Hate crimes against Catholics witness ‘largest spike’ in Canada, reveals Christian think tank
The report, titled Toward a Hopeful Future: Facing Down Religious Hate, shows that hate crime against Catholic Christians jumped from 43 to 155 cases within a year between 2020 and 2021