Surat Rape Case: Gujarat High Court Directs State Authorities To Decide Narayan Sai's Furlough Plea Expeditiously

The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday (March 11) directed the concerned authorities to decided Asaram Bapu's son Narayan Sai's plea for furlough expeditiously, preferably within 30 days. 

In 2019 Sai was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a Sessions Court in Surat in a rape case. His appeal against this decision is pending before the high court.

Justice MR Mengdey while dictating the order said, "...it appears that the applicant has already preferred an application seeking furlough leave before the concerned authorities on January 27, 2025 and the same is still pending. The concerned authorities are directed to decide the said application as expeditiously as possible preferably within 30 days from the date of receipt of this order". 

During the hearing Sai's counsel argued, "that I preferred the application on January 27 2025. No reply is given. Last I was released in 2021. I have been in jail for 11 years and 6 months. There are no adverse remarks as per my information. This court was pleased to grant furlough leave for 14 days". 

Sai's plea states that he has been in jail for 11 years and 4 months starting from December 4, 2013 when he was arrested, and in this tenure has been released only on four occasions. It states that he had preferred the furlough application in January this year as he has to attend to the medical exigencies of his aged ailing parents. 

It states that he is himself facing health issues in jail so he needs to take panchkarma and naturopathy treatment. It states that his father, Asaram Bapu, has been found to have severe medical conditions like heart disease with "more than 90% blocks in two coronary vessels" as per his angiography report and also has diabetes, hypertension among other ailments. 

It states that he is entitled to furlough as per provisions of the jail manual, however his furlough plea has not been decided till now. 

Case title: NARAYAN @ NARAYAN SAI v/s STATE OF GUJARAT & ORS.

R/SCR.A/3436/2025