Gujarat high court grants 6-month interim bail to Asaram Bapu
Asaram Bapu’s lawyer said he suffers from heart disease, hypertension, hypothyroidism, anaemia, and gastrointestinal illness that require specialised care unavailable in jail
The Gujarat high court on Thursday granted six-month interim bail to self-styled godman Asaram Bapu on medical grounds in a 2013 rape case, noting the Rajasthan high court had suspended his sentence in a separate case in Jodhpur on similar grounds.
A bench of justices Ilesh J Vora and R T Vachhani said the relief is limited to medical treatment, and his convictions and life sentences remain in force.
A Jodhpur court sentenced Asaram Bapu to life imprisonment in April 2018 for raping a minor at his ashram in 2013. In 2023, a Gujarat court sentenced him to life in prison in a separate 2013 rape case registered in Gandhinagar. He also faced charges of conspiracy and witness intimidation. Courts have upheld both convictions.
Asaram Bapu’s lawyer, senior advocate Devadutt Kamat, said he suffers from heart disease, hypertension, hypothyroidism, anaemia, and gastrointestinal illness that require specialised care unavailable in jail. He was taken to Delhi for treatment in September.
The Rajasthan high court had also noted his medical condition. Earlier bail applications, including one in August, were rejected but revived after new medical reports. The Supreme Court granted Asaram Babu interim bail in January 2024 until March. The Gujarat high court later extended it.
The Gujarat government suggested that if required medical facilities are unavailable in jail, Babu could be shifted to a prison in the state from Rajasthan.
Senior advocate B B Naik, who represented the rape survivor, contested the bail application, arguing the certificates produced did not indicate that Asaram Bapu was in critical condition. “Last time I said that he wants to tour India… Today, he is seeking treatment… No need to grant temporary bail.”
The Gujarat high court directed Asaram Bapu against holding gatherings, delivering sermons, or taking part in religious activity. He will remain under police supervision, must report to local authorities, and follow prescribed treatment.
