The Rajasthan High Court in Jodhpur has extended self-styled godman Asaram Bapu’s interim bail until July 7. Asaram, serving a life sentence in a rape case, received this extension on medical grounds. The Division Bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Yogendra Kumar Purohit, granted this relief.
Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat represented Asaram during the hearing via video conferencing. Meanwhile, Advocates Nishant Boda and Yashpal Singh Rajpurohit appeared physically before the Bench. The defence emphasized that Asaram, aged 86, requires ongoing medical treatment and supervision.
Arguments in Asaram’s plea for suspension of sentence concluded on April 20, with the High Court reserving its verdict. Given the pending decision and the need for continued treatment, the defence requested an extension of the interim relief on medical grounds. Considering these factors, the High Court extended Asaram’s bail until July 7.
Asaram, arrested in 2013 for raping a minor student at his Jodhpur ashram, was convicted in 2018 and sentenced to life imprisonment. In a separate case, he was also sentenced to life imprisonment in 2023 for raping a female devotee in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Citing advanced age and declining health, Asaram has repeatedly sought bail, with the Rajasthan High Court periodically extending his interim bail on medical grounds.
