Rajasthan High Court Grants Interim Bail to Asaram in 2013 Rape Case

JODHPUR, Jan 14: The Rajasthan High Court on Tuesday granted interim bail until March 31 to self-styled godman Asaram, who is currently serving a life sentence for the 2013 rape of a minor. The decision came a week after the Supreme Court also granted him bail on medical grounds, citing his poor health and the need for treatment.

Following the Supreme Court’s order, which provided Asaram relief on medical grounds, his legal team moved to the Rajasthan High Court, seeking a suspension of his sentence. Asaram’s counsel argued that the plea presented to the High Court was similar to the one filed in the Supreme Court and that the grounds for interim bail remained applicable in this case as well.

The division bench of Justices Dinesh Mehta and Vineet Kumar Mathur accepted the arguments, granting Asaram interim bail. His lawyer, Nishant Bora, confirmed that the conditions for his interim bail were in line with those set by the Supreme Court on January 7, with one additional stipulation: Asaram will be required to cover the costs of three constables who will accompany him if he travels outside Jodhpur.

Asaram was sentenced to life imprisonment in April 2018 by a lower court for raping a 16-year-old girl at his ashram in Jodhpur in 2013. The interim bail order offers temporary relief to Asaram as he continues to serve his sentence for the heinous crime.