Surat: The son of disputed god-man Asaram Bapu, Narayan Sai, himself a self styled religious preacher. behind bars like his father under charges of rape, bribing and other offenses, has applied for temporary bail to contest the upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh from two seats.

A local court here today deferred its hearing on his plea till January 21 when it is also likely to pronounce its verdict.

Narayan Sai’s advocate Kalpesh Desai today said that he filed the temporary bail plea in a ADJ court here today for hearing as his client was willing to contest the election from Sahibabad (Ghaziabad district ) and Shivpur (Varansi district) seats. We have prayed the court for at least a week’s temporary bail for nominations etc. Sai will be contesting the election from his own party Ojaswi party. “There is no restriction on his contesting election as he was not a convict,’ Desai said.

Sai has been lodged in Lajpore central jail here since his arrest in December 2013 in connection with the rape and sexual exploitation of a lady. The elder sister of the victim had alleged that Asaram had raped and sexually exploited her. Sai was also made accused in a sensational bribery case involving policemen to weaken the cases against him and his father. In September last year his estranged wife Janki had lodged a complaint of harassment against him and Asaram in a police station in neighbouring Rajashtan. She had alleged that he had also married to one of his disciples.

Meanwhile, it is said that Asaram, lodged in Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan in connection with the rape of a minor, was against the idea of Sai’s contesting election. Recently during his production in a court there he had told newsmen that some selfish people were misguiding him to contest election and he should not do so.

Sai known for his whimsical statements and steps had recently written a letter to the Prime Minister seeking his cooperation in reforming the Lajpore jail.

DeshGujarat