Gujarat HC grants six-month bail to self-styled godman Asaram in rape case

Ahmedabad, Nov 6 (PTI) The Gujarat High Court on Thursday granted six-month bail to self-styled godman Asaram in a 2013 rape case in which he is serving a life sentence.

The division bench of Justices Ilesh Vora and RT Vachhani granted Asaram (84) temporary bail to facilitate his medical treatment, nearly a week after the Rajasthan High Court passed a similar order.

The court stated orally that it was granting him bail for six months on the same ground on which he was granted bail by the Rajasthan High Court.

Asaram's counsel submitted Rajasthan HC's order before the bench and prayed for the consideration of his medical condition.

The state's counsel opposed the plea and said treatment facilities Asaram has not been able to get in Jodhpur jail could be provided to him at Sabarmati central jail in Ahmedabad.

The Rajasthan High Court had on October 29 granted him six months' bail after his counsel argued he has been suffering from prolonged illness and that proper treatment is not possible in jail.

In January 2023, a court in Gandhinagar had sentenced Asaram to life imprisonment in a rape case. The court convicted Asaram in a case registered in 2013 for raping a woman disciple, who hailed from Surat, on several occasions from 2001 to 2006 when she was living at his ashram at Motera near Ahmedabad.

He is also serving life sentence in another case of raping a minor girl at his ashram in Rajasthan in 2013.

He was convicted under 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). PTI KA PD KRK BNM