Ahmedabad: The Gujarat high court has extended controversial self-styled godman Asaram Bapu’s temporary bail until July 7, citing pending certification from the national legal services authority (NLSA).
The court has scheduled the next hearing for July 2, five days before the bail expires. (HT File Photo)
Justice Ilesh J. Vora and justice P.M. Raval granted the 10-day extension on Friday.
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Asaram, 83, is serving life imprisonment for raping a female disciple at his ashram near Gandhinagar. A sessions court convicted him in January 2023 for rape and sodomy. He has also been convicted in a case in Rajasthan under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), where a special POCSO court in Jodhpur convicted him in 2018 for molesting minors at his ashram in August 2013.
The Supreme Court, in January, granted interim bail to Asaram on medical grounds until March 31, while imposing several conditions, including a bar on meeting followers in large numbers. The Gujarat High Court then extended this bail by three months in March.
In January last year, the top court refused to suspend his sentence in that case on health grounds, while allowing him to withdraw and request the High Court to expedite his appeal challenging the conviction.
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In January last year, the top court refused to suspend his sentence in that case on health grounds, while allowing him to withdraw and request the High Court to expedite his appeal challenging the conviction.
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Senior advocate Shalin Mehta appeared for Asaram, while the state was represented by senior advocate B.B. Naik and public prosecutor Hardik Dave.
The court has scheduled the next hearing for July 2, five days before the bail expires.
In a related development, the Gujarat High Court recently granted Asaram’s son, Narayan Sai—also serving a life sentence for rape—five days’ bail to meet his father on humanitarian grounds.
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Home/India News/Gujarat HC extends Asaram’s bail till July 7, cites pending certification
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