Asaram gets interim bail in 2013 rape case

The Rajasthan High Court on 14 January, Tuesday, granted interim bail till 31 March to self-styled godman Asaram, who is serving life imprisonment in a 2013 rape case.

This comes a week after the Supreme Court granted him bail till 31 March in another rape case, allowing him to avail medical treatment outside.

The petition in the High Court filed by Asaram for suspension of his sentence and granting of bail was heard on Monday, 12 January. Asaram's lawyer R.S. ​​Saluja said to the mediapersons that while hearing the petition, the court granted interim bail to Asaram till 31 March.

He was arrested by Jodhpur police from his ashram in Madhya Pradesh's Indore in 2013. Since then, he has been in jail.

After a trial of five years, on 25 April 2018, the court sentenced Asaram to life imprisonment. Now, after 11 years, he will be out of jail on interim bail. The terms and conditions set by the court include that Asaram cannot meet his followers and will not try to tamper with the evidence in the case.

Three guards will accompany him and their expenses will have to be borne by Asaram.

Earlier, on 7 January, the Supreme Court had granted medical bail to Asaram till 31 March 2025 in another case of rape, of a female follower in his Surat ashram. While giving its verdict on the bail request, the Supreme Court had also barred Asaram from meeting his followers. The court had clarified that the relief was granted solely on humanitarian grounds and directed compliance with conditions imposed during the bail period.

Asaram initially did not get relief in the Jodhpur rape case. After this, his lawyer filed a petition in the High Court which gave him relief.

The self-styled godman has been held guilty in two cases by the Jodhpur Court and the Gandhinagar Court.

He was arrested by Jodhpur Police from the Indore ashram on 2 September 2013. A woman from the ashram in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, had filed a rape case against him.

On 31 January 2023, the court sentenced him to life imprisonment in this case.