The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the Gujarat Director General of Police’s (DGP) order to deny a two-week furlough to self-styled godman Asaram’ son, Narayan Sai, who is serving life imprisonment for rape.
A Bench led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud agreed with the State Police chief that the crimes committed by the convict were too grave to grant him furlough.
The DGP, while declining furlough to Sai, had taken into consideration his criminal misconduct during the trial, including attempts to bribe public officials; threatening, assaulting and murdering of witnesses; threatening police officials and inspectors of the Income Tax Department.
The court noted in its judgment the DGP's assessment that the father-son duo still had a mass-following willing to commit crimes at their instance.
The court also took note of the DGP’s reason that Sai had committed illegal acts in custody like keeping a mobile phone and attempting to establish contact with outsiders.
The judgment came in an appeal filed by the Gujarat government against a State High Court decision in June to release Sai on furlough.
Setting aside the High Court order, the court held that the DGP’s order in May to deny furlough to Sai did “not suffer from perversity nor does it consider material extraneous to the Rules governing the grant of furlough”.
