AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court on Thursday granted a six-month bail to self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, convicted in a 2013 rape case, citing his advanced age and deteriorating heart condition. The order aligns with the Rajasthan High Court’s earlier decision to extend similar relief to the controversial godman on medical grounds.
The division bench of Justice I J Vora and Justice R T Vachhani observed that, at 86 years old, Asaram has a constitutional right to medical treatment, and his health issues warrant temporary reprieve.
The court noted that since the Jodhpur High Court had already allowed bail on medical grounds, Gujarat “cannot take a different view.”
The judges further clarified that if Asaram’s appeal hearing in the 2013 rape case fails to progress within the next six months, he will be entitled to seek bail extension.
Conversely, if the Rajasthan government decides to challenge the Jodhpur order, the Gujarat government will also have the liberty to contest this relief.
State counsel informed the court that if medical facilities in Jodhpur Jail prove insufficient, Asaram could be shifted to Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad, where advanced treatment could be arranged.
However, the court room saw sharp resistance from the survivor’s lawyer, who accused Asaram of feigning illness.
The counsel argued that the self-proclaimed godman, despite claiming serious ailments, has been frequently travelling between Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, Indore, and other cities without any prolonged hospitalisation. He was even seen journeying from Rishikesh to Maharashtra, the lawyer said, adding that Asaram is currently receiving Ayurvedic therapy in Jodhpur and is not suffering from any life-threatening condition.
The case stems from a complaint lodged by a Surat woman who accused Asaram of repeatedly sexually assaulting her at his Motera Ashram in Ahmedabad between 1997 and 2006. The FIR, initially filed in Surat in 2013, was later transferred to Gandhinagar, where a sessions court convicted Asaram in January 2023 and sentenced him to life imprisonment