Godman Asaram Bapu, who is serving a life sentence in a 2013 rape case, has been granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on medical grounds till March 31. The Supreme Court directed the 86-year-old godman not to tamper with evidence and meet his followers after his release.
A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal noted that Asaram Bapu was suffering from various age-related health conditions besides a heart ailment. Bapu is currently undergoing treatment at the Arogya Medical Centre in Jodhpur. He has been serving his sentence in Jodhpur Central Jail.
The godman is a heart patient and has previously suffered a heart attack. The Supreme Court has directed that security personnel be deployed during the period of his bail to ensure supervision.
Asaram Bapu was convicted by a Jodhpur court and sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a teen girl in his ashram. In 2023, he was convicted by a Gujarat court for raping a woman disciple on several occasions at his ashram in 2013.
The godman has been granted paroles periodically to visit Pune, where he has been undergoing treatment.
The Supreme Court relief for Bapu comes days after he was granted parole for 17 days on December 18 last month. He returned to Jodhpur jail on January 1.
He was also granted parole for seven days by the Rajasthan High Court for medical treatment in August last year.
The godman, in his petition, said his health was precarious and "rapidly deteriorating". Bapu also said that he had already served 11 years of imprisonment, and "suffered a series of heart attacks". In February 2024, he was rushed to AIIMS Jodhpur after experiencing severe chest pain.
