Supreme Court Grants Interim Bail To Asaram Bapu In 2013 Rape Case

The SC has granted interim bail to Asaram Bapu, a convicted rapist, on medical grounds until March 31. The bail, subject to certain conditions, has been granted based on Asaram's age and health.

File photo of Asaram Bapu

Source : PTI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to jailed self-styled godman Asaram Bapu. Asaram, who is serving life sentence in a rape case, has got interim bail till March 31 on medical grounds. 

The SC, while granting bail to Asaram on health grounds, clarified that his bail has been granted on the basis of Asaram's old age and poor health. During this time, 86-year-old Asaram can get his treatment done. Asaram has spent almost 11 years in jail.

However, Supreme Court has granted Asaram bail in Surat rape case. In Jodhpur rape case, he will have to get bail from High Court.

While granting interim bail, a bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal have put a condition that Asaram will not meet his followers during his release. He has also been directed by the court not tamper with the evidence. As per the bail conditions, three policemen will be with him during treatment. However, these police officers will not interfere in the treatment.

Asaram's lawyer told the court that he has suffered heart attack twice and his condition is very serious. He also told that Asaram is not getting proper treatment in jail. The court, after looking at Asaram's medical report, granted him interim bail. Earlier, on several occasions, the Supreme Court has refused to release him.

Asaram has already been sentenced to life imprisonment in two rape cases. One case is of rape of a female follower in his Surat Ashram. The second is of rape in Jodhpur Ashram. Asaram was arrested in Indore in 2013. 

As reported by news agency PTI, the apex court had sought Gujarat government's response on Asaram's plea for suspension of life sentence awarded to him by a Gandhinagar court in 2023. The SC said it would only examine the issue on medical grounds.

On August 29, 2024, the Gujarat High Court rejected Asaram's plea seeking the suspension and found no case to grant him the reprieve.

In January 2023, Asaram was convicted in a rape case filed by a Surat-based disciple in 2013 for repeatedly raping her from 2001 to 2006, when she was living in his ashram in Ahmedabad's Motera.

In 2018, a POCSO court found Asaram guilty of raping a minor and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The incident leading to his conviction occurred on the night of August 15, 2013 at Asaram’s ashram in Manai, Jodhpur. Under the pretext of exorcising evil spirits, Asaram summoned the minor girl to his hut, where he threatened her and proceeded to molest her.