NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to jailed self-styled godman Asaram in connection with a 2013 rape case on medical grounds until March 31.
A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal directed Asaram not to meet his followers following his release.
The top court stated that the 86-year-old Asaram was suffering from various age-related health conditions, including a heart ailment.
The Supreme Court had earlier sought a response from the Gujarat government regarding Asaram's plea for suspension of the life sentence awarded to him by a Gandhinagar court in 2023.
The court clarified that it would examine the matter solely on medical grounds.
On 29 August 2024, the Gujarat High Court rejected Asaram's plea seeking the suspension of his sentence, finding no grounds to grant him relief.
The trial court had convicted Asaram in January 2023 in the 2013 case, which was filed by a woman who had resided in his ashram near Gandhinagar at the time of the alleged crime.
Asaram is currently imprisoned in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, in connection with another rape case.