New Delhi, Aug. 7 -- The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Gujarat High Court to make an endeavour to decide within three months the pending appeal filed by self-styled preacher Narayan Sai against his conviction in a 2013 rape case.

A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and P B Varale also declined to interfere with the Gujarat High Court's order refusing to suspend Sai's life sentence in the case.

The apex court added that if the appeal remained undecided after the stipulated period, Sai would be at liberty to seek appropriate relief before the Supreme Court again.

"We request the High Court to make an endeavour to dispose of the appeal within a period of three months. We make it clear that the petitioner and the State will cooperate," th...