The Gujarat High Court on Thursday denied a suspension of sentence plea by Asaram, a self-styled godman, in connection with a 2013 rape case, underscoring the absence of “exceptional grounds” for such relief. The decision further affirms the life sentence imposed by a Gandhinagar court in 2023.
Justices Ilesh Vora and Vimal Vyas, forming the division bench, found no merit in Asaram’s application for bail, highlighting that the conditions presented, including his advanced age and medical issues, did not warrant suspension of his sentence. The court pointedly dismissed these arguments, given the gravity of the offenses involved.
Asaram, who is currently incarcerated at Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan for another rape case, faced charges from a 2013 incident where a woman, then residing at his ashram near Gandhinagar, accused him of sexual assault. Despite his claims of being ensnared in a conspiracy and criticisms of the trial court’s handling of the case, particularly regarding the delayed complaint, the high court was unmoved.
The bench also referenced troubling past activities linked to Asaram, including the alleged murders of two boys at his Sabarmati ashram and multiple instances of attacks on witnesses and victims’ relatives. These antecedents played a significant role in the court’s decision to deny his plea.
Reflecting on the comprehensive nature of the case and the serious allegations against Asaram, the court concluded that neither the potential delay in appeal proceedings nor his decade-long imprisonment met the threshold for bail suspension.
Asaram also faces ongoing legal challenges in Rajasthan, where his appeal against a separate rape conviction remains pending. Earlier this year, the Rajasthan High Court similarly rejected his plea for sentence suspension, reinforcing the pattern of judicial resistance to his appeals.
