The Jodhpur High Court on Tuesday granted seven-day parole to self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who is serving life sentence after being convicted in a rape case, for undergoing ayurveda treatment in Maharashtra.
Asaram has been serving life imprisonment in Jodhpur prison following his conviction under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other offences by a trial court in 2018 for raping a minor girl.
The division bench of Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati on Tuesday granted interim parole to Asaram, who was admitted to the AIIMS in Jodhpur four days back.
He will be taken to the Madhavbaug Ayurvedic Hospital in Khopoli, Maharashtra, for treatment under police custody.
Asaram was earlier allowed to undergo treatment at a private ayurvedic hospital in Jodhpur under police custody. However, as his health condition deteriorated again, he was admitted to Jodhpur AIIMS.
In March this year, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain a plea filed by Asaram seeking suspension of sentence on medical grounds. A bench presided over by Justice Sanjiv Khanna had allowed the petitioner to file a fresh application before the Rajasthan High Court seeking to undergo treatment at the Madhavbaug Hospital under police custody.
To recall, on January 11, the Rajasthan High Court had rejected the fourth application filed by Asaram seeking suspension of sentence or bail on the ground that law and order problems may arise if he is not allowed to receive medical treatment of his choice.
On April 25, 2018, Asaram was convicted of raping a minor by a special POCSO court in Jodhpur which sentenced him to life imprisonment. He has been in jail since September 2, 2013.
In January 2023, a court in Gujarat had convicted the self-styled godman in a decade-old sexual assault case involving a woman disciple, and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
The victim had accused Asaram of repeatedly raping her at his ashram in 2013.