The Supreme Court on Thursday denied interim bail to self-styled godman Asaram, who is serving life sentence in a 2013 case of sexually assaulting a minor, on medical grounds but allowed him to engage a caretaker of his choice for assistance inside jail and to approach the court in the event his condition deteriorates.
A bench of justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale passed the order after going through a report prepared by the medical board of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), which recommended round-the-clock monitoring of 86-year-old Asaram on account of his multiple health ailments but did not suggest hospitalisation.
“We have taken note of the letter received from AIIMS dated July 31, 2026. The petitioner will have liberty to have assistance of a trained caretaker of his choice on a round-the-clock basis,” the bench said.
The lawyer of the petitioner, who is lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail, told the court that his health was deteriorating as he is suffering from various ailments including coronary artery disease, thalassemia, recurrent blood loss. The court, however, said: “The application stands adjourned with the liberty to the petitioner to approach this court if his condition deteriorates.”
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Rajasthan government, opposed the bail and submitted that Asaram has suppressed from the court that he obtained 20-day parole fro, the Rajasthan high court.
{{/usCountry}}Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Rajasthan government, opposed the bail and submitted that Asaram has suppressed from the court that he obtained 20-day parole fro, the Rajasthan high court.
{{/usCountry}}Asaram’s lawyer said that the parole has been granted on account of his long incarceration and advanced age and not on medical grounds. Mehta pointed out that the pendency of his bail plea in the top court was also not disclosed to the high court. The bench deprecated this practice and said that this order is being passed not on merits but on the basis of the AIIMS report.
The Rajasthan high court on May 27 upheld the conviction and life sentence awarded to Asaram in a case of rape of a minor in 2013. On June 30, the top court sought response from the Rajasthan government on Asaram’s plea challenging the high court order.
On April 25, 2018, Asaram was also convicted for sexually assaulting a minor student at his ashram and was sentenced to life imprisonment under multiple provisions of the IPC, the Pocso Act, and the Juvenile Justice Act.