The Delhi High Court Friday directed the Gujarat Police to explain the notice served to a woman to appear in connection with a rape case against Narayan Sai, son of self-styled godman Asaram.

 

 The court has directed the state police not to take any "coercive step" against the woman till its further orders. 

 

 The 28-year-old woman was served a notice by Gujarat Police to appear in connection with the rape case.

 

 Hearing the plea of the woman seeking anticipatory/transit bail for a week, Justice Pradeep Nandrajog issued notice to the state police and fixed the matter for Jan 8, 2014. 

 

 "In the meantime, the respondents (Delhi Police and Gujarat Police) will not take any coercive step against the girl," said the court. 

 

 The woman has said that Surat police has failed to mention the reasons for which they sought her appearance before them.

 

 The girl's counsel Maninder Singh submitted before the court that even the FIR was silent about his client's role in the case.

 

 "According to the FIR, the incident took place in 2001 and my client was in school at that time and she was no way associated with the spiritual guru's ashram," the lawyer said.

 

 The Delhi Police said that a police team from Surat had, in co-ordination with city police, recently raided the girl's residence here but she was not present.

 

 Earlier this month, Surat police had served a notice to the girl, who has been associated with a magazine published from Sai's Jaipur Ashram, to record her statement in the rape case against Sai.