The Supreme Court on Friday declined to consider a bail request by self-styled preacher Asaram in the Surat sexual assault case in Gujarat.

A two-judge bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice NV Ramana said the trial needs to be concluded first. The top court also asked the trial court in Gujarat to complete the trial in the rape case involving Asaram.

The bench was informed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the trial in the case was going on and 210 witnesses were yet to be examined, according to news agency PTI.

The judges ruled that the court trying the sexual assault case will proceed with the trial and not be influenced by the prima facie observations given by the Gujarat High Court earlier while dismissing Asaram’s plea.

Asaram is in jail since 2013 after he was named in two rape cases filed by police in Jodhpur, where he had allegedly assaulted the minor girl. Asaram, who has lakhs of followers, denies the charges.

Asaram started his religious discourses from a small hut in 1971 on the banks of the Sabarmati, not far away from Mahatma Gandhi’s ashram. In two decades, he amassed millions of followers and built hundreds of ashrams across India and abroad.