Supreme Court grants interim bail to Asaram till March 31 on health grounds

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim bail till March 31 to controversial godman Asaram in a 2013 rape case to enable him to avail of medical treatment for various ailments he has been suffering from.

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However, the self-styled godman cannot be released as he was in jail for another rape case in Jodhpur.

A bench led by Justice MM Sundresh directed 86-year-old Asaram — currently lodged in Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan — not to meet his followers in a group after being enlarged on interim bail.

“We have also taken note of medical records pertaining to the petitioner and the fact that he was given periodical treatment outside the prison. Hence, we deem it fit to grant bail to the petitioner on medical grounds till March 31, 2025, subject to the condition that the petitioner shall not meet his followers in a group,” said the bench, which also included Justice Rajesh Bindal.

The order came after senior advocate Devadatt Kamat submitted on behalf of Asaram that the petitioner suffered from several ailments and his health condition was precarious.

The bench, which did not consider his petition on merits and decided to enlarge him on medical grounds, imposed certain conditions on him.

“There shall be three security personnel present in the vicinity of the petitioner. We make it clear that the police personnel will not interfere with the petitioner’s medical treatment, and his meeting with any individual in a normal or lawful conduct,” it said.

On behalf of the state government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the godman’s bail plea, saying he could be treated in the jail itself. Three witnesses in the case were killed, adding that Asaram had the potential, capacity and finances to tamper with the evidence, he added.

In January, 2023, a sessions court convicted Asaram in the 2013 rape case filed by a woman, who was living in his ashram near Gandhinagar at the time of the crime. The Gujarat High Court had rejected his plea for the suspension of life imprisonment.

Asaram maintained that he was a victim of conspiracy, the allegations of rape were false and that the trial court erred in accepting the survivor’s explanation for a delay of 12 years in lodging the complaint.