Gujarat HC extends temporary bail of Asaram till Aug 21

The Gujarat High Court on Thursday extended till August 21 the temporary bail plea of self-styled godman Asaram, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Gandhinagar court in a 2013 rape case.

The Division Bench of Justices Ilesh Vora and PM Raval extended Asaram’s temporary bail till August 21 on medical grounds after observing that he was in ICU at a private hospital and his health condition was critical.

While granting him temporary bail for the third time, the court noted an order passed by the Supreme Court on July 30 granting him liberty to approach the HC for temporary bail extension mainly on the ground of deterioration of his health.

“The applicant presently is in ICU with Jupiter Hospital at Indore and as per the records, he was diagnosed with very high troponin level and according to the treating doctor, his condition is critical. In such circumstances, pending this application, the temporary bail granted earlier is extended till August 21 on the same terms and conditions,” the HC order stated.

The court had earlier granted him an interim extension till July 7, and then extended the relief for another month.

While granting him extension then, the court had clarified that no further prayer for extension of temporary bail will be entertained on medical grounds.