Supreme Court Denies Interim Bail to Asaram

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to grant interim bail to self-styled godman Asaram, who is serving a life sentence in a 2013 minor rape case, but allowed him to engage a trained caretaker for round-the-clock assistance.

A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and P.B. Varale kept his plea for interim bail on health grounds pending and granted liberty to mention the matter if his condition deteriorates.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that Asaram had suppressed the fact that his counsel had moved a parole application. The defence said the parole plea was filed earlier and not on health grounds.

The court had earlier been informed that a medical board from AIIMS found that Asaram did not require hospitalisation but needed continuous medical assistance. On July 21, the apex court had directed AIIMS to constitute the board to assess his condition.

The Rajasthan High Court had earlier granted 20-day parole to the 85-year-old, noting the duration of his incarceration and his conduct during previous interim releases, while observing that the State had failed to justify rejection of his parole application.

On May 27, the High Court upheld Asaram’s conviction and life sentence in the 2013 case of rape of a minor. It acquitted him of charges related to gang rape and certain provisions under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act but upheld his conviction under IPC Section 376(2)(F), retaining the life sentence awarded by the trial court.

The High Court also upheld convictions under other provisions, including Sections 342, 370(4), 506, 509 and 354(A) of the IPC, along with Sections 7/8 of the POCSO Act and Section 23 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

Asaram was convicted by a trial court on April 25, 2018, for sexually assaulting a minor student at his ashram and was sentenced to life imprisonment under multiple provisions of law.