Self-styled godman Asaram, who was convicted in April for raping a minor girl, has sought dilution of his life sentence in a mercy plea sent to the governor of Rajasthan.
He was sentenced to life in prison on April 25 by a Jodhpur court as he was found guilty of raping a teenage girl in his ashram in 2013.
Challenging the sentence, Asaram had moved high court on July 2 but the petition is yet to be listed for hearing.
“We have challenged the sentencing of Asaram in the high court today. The sentencing of both the co-accused has already been challenged. The high court has asked for the records from the trial court,” his counsel Nishant Bora had said in July.
After receiving the mercy plea of Asaram, the governor sent it to the home department seeking a detailed report on the plea.
According to PTI, Asaram has pleaded for dilution in his life sentence in his mercy plea terming it to be a “gruelling” punishment and citing his age.
The department then forwarded the plea to the Jodhpur Central Jail administration, which, in turn, has sought a report from the district administration and police.
“We have received Asaram’s mercy plea. We have sought a report from the district administration and police on this mercy plea,” Superintendent of Jodhpur Central Jail Kailash Trivedi said.
After receipt of this report, the jail administration will send it to the Director General (Jail) of Rajasthan.
The 16-year-old girl had said in her complaint that Asaram had called her to his ashram in the Manai area near Jodhpur and raped her on the night of August 15, 2013.
The teenager from Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh was studying at Asaram’s ashram in Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh.
(With PTI inputs)