Jailed self-styled godman Asaram has been granted an extension of interim bail till July 1. The Rajasthan High Court granted Asaram temporary Suspension of Sentence (SOS) on medical grounds, leading to him getting a respite since his arrest over 12 years ago in 2013.
However, as per an order by Justice Vinit Kumar Mathur and Justice Dinesh Mehta, the bail conditions mentioned in the HC’s January order, as set by the Supreme Court, applies.
He was charge-sheeted on November 6, 2013 and after a trial lasting almost five years, the Magistrate, Special Court, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, convicted him on April 25, 2018. He was convicted for the offences under Sections 370(4), 342, 354-A, 376(2)(f), 376-D, 506, 509/34 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, Sections 23 and 26 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, and Sections 5(f)/6, 5(g)/6, and 8 of the POCSO Act.
In January, the SC granted Asaram his first ever interim bail till March 31, 2025, following charges of rape of a Surat-based woman, with one of the conditions being that he was barred from meeting his followers in a group.
Starting in August last year, he was granted parole and multiple extensions, including for a visit to a Pune hospital. There are no restrictions on Asaram’s movements during an interim bail, according to a report.
The report added that Asaram’s lawyers Nishant Bora, Yashpal Rajpurohit and others had sought extension of Asaram’s interim bail for six months. Bora told the court that considering Asaram’s medical condition, Gujarat HC had extended his bail till June 30, 2025.
The lawyer representing the complainant, PC Solanki, submitted a formal application seeking the cancellation of Asaram’s interim bail. In his argument, he asserted that Asaram was “misusing the liberty granted to him by this Court.” He elaborated on this claim by revealing that Asaram was not merely meeting with his disciples but was also actively delivering sermons. To support his allegations, Solanki presented a series of video clippings and newspaper articles that documented Asaram’s activities, highlighting the concerns surrounding his actions.
However, Additional Advocate General Deepak Choudhary reportedly said that the government’s reply included statements of two constables, who have accompanied Asaram throughout his interim bail. He said that as per the testimony of both the constables, Asaram had not delivered any sermon.
