The bench granted the two states four weeks as the last opportunity to file their response.After hearing attorney general K K Venugopal, the bench said, "Since in this petition the court is primarily dealing with the issue pertaining to witness protection programme, it would be appropriate to issue notice to all other states as well. The petitioner shall implead other states as parties and notice shall be served upon them, returnable in four weeks." The SC had in March ordered the UP and Haryana governments to give full protection to witnesses in cases against Asaram after it was informed that out of 10 witnesses in the cases against Asaram, seven were attacked while three were killed. Jodhpur police arrested Asaram on August 3, 2013, and he has been in prison since then. The SC has repeatedly rejected Asaram's plea for bail on medical grounds.

Source: Times of India September 09, 2017 00:45 UTC