The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday extended the temporary bail granted to self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, convicted in a 2013 rape case, till September 3. The relief, earlier set to expire on August 21, was continued by a division bench of Justices Ilesh Vora and P.M. Raval, which will take up the matter next on the extended date.
The extension comes against the backdrop of Asaram’s deteriorating health. On the directions of the Rajasthan High Court, which is slated to hear his interim bail plea in another rape case on August 29, he underwent a medical check-up at Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital on Monday. Earlier, the Gujarat HC had extended his interim bail after being informed that he was admitted to the ICU of a private hospital in a critical condition.
On July 30, the Supreme Court had allowed Asaram to approach the Gujarat HC for further extension of temporary bail, primarily on medical grounds. The apex court had earlier granted him interim bail till July 7, later extended for one month, with a clear caveat that no further extension would be entertained. Despite this, Asaram sought repeated relief citing health complications.
Legal Proceedings and Split Verdict
Asaram first approached the Gujarat High Court when the temporary bail granted by the Supreme Court till March 31 was nearing expiry. The matter initially resulted in a split verdict, prompting reference to a third judge, who eventually granted him a three-month temporary bail. Since then, his bail has been extended multiple times on medical considerations.
Convictions in Rape Cases
In January 2023, a Gandhinagar court sentenced Asaram to life imprisonment for raping a woman disciple from Surat between 2001 and 2006 at his Motera ashram near Ahmedabad. He was convicted under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 376(2)(c) (rape), Section 377 (unnatural offences), Section 342 (wrongful confinement), Section 354 (assault with intent to outrage modesty), Section 357 (assault), and Section 506 (criminal intimidation).
Asaram is already serving another life term in Rajasthan for raping a minor girl at his Jodhpur ashram in 2013. His bail petitions in both cases have been repeatedly opposed by the prosecution on the ground of the seriousness of the offences, while he has consistently relied on medical reports to seek temporary relief.
