The Gujarat High Court has granted five-day interim bail to Narayan Sai, son of convicted spiritual leader Asaram, allowing him to visit his father who is currently out on medical bail. Narayan Sai, who is serving a life sentence in Surat&rsquo;s Lajpore Jail for rape, submitted the plea citing his father&rsquo;s deteriorating health.
Sai has been imprisoned since his 2019 conviction by a Surat sessions court in a sexual assault case lodged in 2013. The complaint, filed at the Jahangirpura Police Station, alleged that the incident occurred at the Jahangirpura Ashram in Surat.&nbsp;
After evading arrest for nearly two months, he was eventually apprehended. On April 30, 2019, Judge PS Gadhvi sentenced him to life in prison, imposed a Rs 1 lakh fine, and ordered an additional year&rsquo;s sentence in case of non-payment. Alongside him, co-accused sadhikas Ganga and Jamuna were sentenced to 10 years each, aide Hanuman received a ten-year term, and driver Ramesh Malhotra was handed a six-month sentence.
The recent bail was sanctioned by a division bench of the High Court, which considered Sai&rsquo;s plea to meet his 85-year-old father Asaram, who was released temporarily on health grounds until June 30, 2025. Asaram had been discharged from hospital on June 18 and is now in Jodhpur.&nbsp;
Sai mentioned in court that he last saw his father 10 years ago and sought permission for a week-long visit. He offered to bear all costs related to the police escort&rsquo;s travel, accommodation, and food, although he expressed unwillingness to cover their daily wages&mdash;a point the court took note of without intervention.
Following deliberations, the court permitted Sai to be out of prison for a total of five days, with the period calculated from the date of the order. Of these, two days are allocated for travel between Surat and Rajasthan, while three days are set aside for his stay with his father. The journey must be undertaken by road under tight security, including an escort of one police sub-inspector and four constables.
Sai Is Not Trustworthy
During the proceedings, the state raised objections, citing Sai&rsquo;s track record. The prosecution highlighted his previous attempt to influence the case by forging medical documents, threatening witnesses, and attempting to bribe officials. Authorities reported multiple security breaches during his incarceration, including the possession of a mobile phone, battery, and tobacco.&nbsp;
A raid on his cell led to communication restrictions and limited visitations. In 2021, Sai allegedly initiated a hunger strike that incited fellow inmates, resulting in his transfer to a high-security wing.
The prosecution also referenced incidents linked to his followers, such as the reported threat to a Deputy Commissioner of Police in 2013, attacks on witnesses (one of whom later died), and an IT raid that led to the discovery of 42 bags of items and revealed widespread property acquisitions. One police inspector allegedly received a death threat, and the rape victim in Sai&rsquo;s case had also been subjected to threats.
Narayan Sai had previously received a four-day release in 2021 to care for his unwell mother. In his latest bail application, he also requested additional days to meet her, but this was not granted by the court.
Asaram, meanwhile, was granted interim medical bail in a separate Surat rape case. Serving a sentence in Rajasthan, his release was approved by the Gujarat High Court after split opinions emerged in the division bench. Justice Elisha Vora favoured a three-month bail, while Justice Sandeep Bhatt dissented. Acting Chief Justice Biren Vaishnav assigned the matter to Justice AS Supehia, who, by majority consensus, allowed bail until June 30, 2025.
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Gujarat High Court allows Narayan Sai to meet Asaram in Jodhpur under strict police supervision.

Narayan Sai Gets 5-Day Bail to Visit Ill Father Asaram

Gujarat High Court allows Narayan Sai to meet Asaram in Jodhpur under strict police supervision.

June 21, 2025 | 17:09 IST