Asaram minor rape case: Supreme Court sets aside Rajasthan High Court order summoning IPS officer Ajay Pal Lamba
The Supreme Court on Monday set aside an order passed by the Rajasthan High Court, which summoned IPS officer Ajay Pal Lamba for recording his evidence as a court witness in connection with self-styled Godman Asaram Bapu’s appeal against his conviction by a lower court in a minor’s rape case.
The Bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice M.M. Sundresh, while allowing the Special Leave Appeal filed by the State of Rajasthan against the Rajasthan High Court order, further directed the High Court to dispose of the appeal made by Asaram against his conviction in the rape case expeditiously.
The IPS officer had led the probe in the case. In a book written later, Lamba had allegedly recorded evidence that the survivor was tutored.
An application was later moved in the Apex Court seeking summons for Lamba on the grounds that the victim was tutored on the basis of some videos of the scene of crime that were shot by him.
As per the application, the claim could be substantiated by the accounts mentioned in the book titled Gunning For The Godman, The True Story Behind Asaram Bapu’s Conviction, co-authored by Lamba.
The High Court had allowed this application, after hearing arguments from both sides.
Earlier on February 10, the Apex Court had reserved its judgment on the petition filed by the State of Rajasthan against the High Court summoning Lamba for recording his evidence as court witness.
Asaram’s appeal against his conviction is pending before the High Court, wherein he has contended that the entire prosecution case was false and fabricated.
(Case title: The State of Rajasthan vs Asharam alias Ashumal)