Rajasthan High Court extends Asaram’s bail for third time on health grounds

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Rajasthan High Court extends Asaram’s bail for third time on health grounds Asaram was punished for raping a woman disciple, who hailed from Surat, on several occasions between 2001 and 2006 when she was living at his ashram in Motera near Ahmedabad. (File Photo)

The Rajasthan High Court on Monday extended the temporary bail granted to jailed self-styled godman Asaram for the third time, till August 29, on medical grounds. Asaram is serving life term for raping a minor disciple at his gurukul.

A Bench of Justices Dinesh Mehta and Vinit Kumar Mathur passed the order after Asaram’s counsel Nishant Bora submitted that the Gujarat High Court has extended his interim bail up to August 21, and prayed that the interim bail granted by Rajasthan HC be extended appropriately.

On August 7, the Gujarat HC, while extending Asaram’s temporary bail, had noted an order passed by the Supreme Court on July 30, granting him liberty to approach the HC for bail extension mainly on the grounds of deterioration of his health.

On Monday, the Rajasthan HC also said that it is of the view that Asaram’s medical condition should be examined by a Medical Board. This Board is to be constituted by Medical Superintendent or any other competent authority of Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, and shall include at least two cardiologists and one neurologist of professor rank.

In January, the SC had granted Asaram his first ever interim bail till March 31, 2025 solely on medical grounds, with certain conditions. The top court had barred Asaram from meeting his followers in a group. Subsequently, the Rajasthan HC too granted him temporary suspension of sentence on medical grounds, leading to Asaram getting out on bail for the first time since his arrest in 2013. This was extended till July 1, then till August 12, and now it has been extended till August 29.