The Rajasthan High Court’s Jodhpur Bench affirmed the life imprisonment sentence of Asaram in a case involving the sexual assault of a minor student. Co-accused Shilpi and Sharatchand were acquitted by the court. Asaram, currently on interim medical bail, must now surrender. The Division Bench, consisting of Justice Arun Monga and Justice Yogendra Kumar Purohit, delivered the verdict.
Asaram was arrested in August 2013 on charges of sexually assaulting a minor student at his Jodhpur ashram. After a lengthy trial, a Special POCSO Court in Jodhpur sentenced him to life imprisonment on April 25, 2018. The High Court conducted daily hearings on the appeal from February 16 to April 20, 2026. Following the conclusion of arguments, the Division Bench reserved its judgment on April 20 and announced the verdict on May 27.
During the hearings, Asaram’s defense argued that the case was fabricated, pointing out alleged inconsistencies in the victim’s parents’ statements. They claimed that no call records proved communication between Asaram and the victim on the incident night. The defense invoked the principle of parity, stating that since certain co-accused were acquitted based on the same evidence, Asaram should also be acquitted.
Opposing the appeal, the prosecution and victim’s counsel, P.C. Solanki, emphasized that under the POCSO Act, the victim’s testimony alone could be sufficient evidence for conviction, a principle upheld by the Supreme Court. They also argued that attacks on witnesses and their killings were attempts to destroy evidence and influence the case.
Asaram is already serving a life sentence in another sexual assault case involving a female devotee at his Gandhinagar ashram in Gujarat. Convicted in January 2023, the 86-year-old had sought bail multiple times due to age and health reasons. Following the recent verdict, he is obligated to surrender to the authorities.
