: The Supreme Court today granted interim bail to self-styled godman Asaram, convicted in two separate rape cases, on medical grounds. However, the 83-year-old will remain in jail as he needs to secure interim bail in another ongoing case.
A bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal granted Asaram interim bail till March 31, with conditions including that he must not meet his followers. The court instructed police officers to escort him to a hospital for treatment without dictating the choice of the medical facility.
Asaram, whose real name is Asumal Sirumalani Harpalani, was convicted of raping a teenage girl in his ashram in Jodhpur in 2013. He was later convicted in another case involving the rape of a woman at his ashram near Gujarat’s Gandhinagar the same year.
Medical Grounds for Bail
Asaram’s lawyers argued that he suffers from serious medical ailments, necessitating the interim bail. Last year, he underwent treatment in Pune and was also admitted to AIIMS Jodhpur for heart-related issues.
He had returned to Jodhpur jail on January 1 after a 17-day parole, including travel time.
Asaram’s Convictions
In 2018, a Jodhpur court sentenced Asaram to life imprisonment for raping a 16-year-old girl in his ashram. Two accomplices were handed 20-year jail terms in the same case.
In January 2023, he was convicted in another rape case involving a woman at his ashram in Gujarat. Despite pleas for suspension of his life sentence on medical grounds, the Gujarat High Court rejected his appeal in August, citing insufficient grounds for relief.
Supreme Court’s Stance
The Supreme Court had previously sought a response from the Gujarat government regarding Asaram’s plea for suspension of his life sentence in the Gandhinagar case. However, it maintained that medical grounds would be the sole basis for any reconsideration.
While the interim bail allows him to seek treatment, Asaram’s legal troubles are far from over, as he remains in jail awaiting further decisions in the other case.
Sources By Agencies