Gujarat High Court Grants 6-Month Medical Bail to Asaram in 2013 Rape Case

The Gujarat High Court has granted a six-month temporary bail to 84-year-old self-styled godman Asaram on Thursday in connection with a 2013 rape case for which he is currently serving a life sentence.

The decision was made by a division bench comprising Justices Ilesh Vora and RT Vachhani, who approved the temporary release to allow Asaram to undergo medical treatment. This ruling comes approximately one week after the Rajasthan High Court issued a similar order.

The court verbally stated that the six-month bail was granted on identical grounds as those cited by the Rajasthan High Court in its decision.

Asaram's legal representative presented the Rajasthan High Court's order to the bench and requested consideration of his client's medical condition.

The state's counsel opposed the bail application, arguing that any medical treatments unavailable at Jodhpur jail could be provided at Ahmedabad's Sabarmati central jail instead.

On October 29, the Rajasthan High Court had approved a six-month bail period after Asaram's lawyer contended that his client suffered from prolonged illness and adequate treatment was not possible within the jail premises.

A Gandhinagar court had sentenced Asaram to life imprisonment in January 2023 after finding him guilty in a case filed in 2013. The conviction related to the rape of a female disciple from Surat on multiple occasions between 2001 and 2006 while she was residing at his ashram in Motera near Ahmedabad.

Asaram is simultaneously serving another life sentence for raping a minor girl at his Rajasthan ashram in 2013.

His convictions include Indian Penal Code sections 376 2(C) (rape), 377 (unnatural offences), 342 (wrongful detention), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 357 (assault), and 506 (criminal intimidation).