The Rajasthan High Court has granted six months’ bail to self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who is serving a life sentence for the rape of a minor girl, citing medical reasons.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Sangeeta Sharma passed the order while hearing Asaram’s plea seeking suspension of his sentence and regular bail.
Appearing for Asaram, senior advocate Devdutt Kamat contended that the 84-year-old convict has been suffering from prolonged illness and that adequate medical care cannot be provided within the jail premises. Kamat urged the court to allow bail to facilitate proper medical treatment outside custody.
The plea was strongly opposed by Additional Advocate General Deepak Choudhary, appearing for the state, and advocate P.C. Solanki, representing the survivor. They argued that Asaram’s health condition had been sufficiently addressed during previous interim bail periods and that further release was unwarranted.
After hearing both sides, the bench granted Asaram bail for six months on medical grounds. The detailed conditions of the bail are yet to be specified in the written order.
Asaram has been lodged in jail since April 2018, serving a life sentence imposed by a Jodhpur court for sexually assaulting a minor girl at his ashram in 2013. This marks the fourth time he has been granted temporary relief on health grounds.
He first received interim bail on January 7, 2025, which was later extended in July and August. On August 27, a bench of Justices Dinesh Mehta and Vineet Kumar Mathur dismissed his plea for a further extension, prompting him to surrender on August 30.
