India’s Supreme Court Tuesday (Jan 7) granted interim bail to controversial godman Asaram Bapu on medical grounds. Asaram remains lodged in the Jodhpur Central Jail for his involvement in the 2013 sexual assault case and is currently serving a life sentence.

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The interim bail will remain effective until March 31.

Asaram was earlier released on parole for 17 days, starting December 18, and subsequently returned to Jodhpur jail on Wednesday, January 1, according to the court's orders.

Also read: I will return to my devotees after getting aides out: Asaram audio clip from Jodhpur prison goes viral

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A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal granted Asaram bail but with a caveat that he won’t be able to meet his followers.  The court also directed police officers to escort Asaram to hospital but not to dictate which hospital to get treated at.

Rape cases against Asaram

A court in Jodhpur, a city in the north-western Indian state of Rajasthan, had sentenced Asaram to life in prison in 2018 in a 2013 rape case. The court found him guilty of raping a 16-year-old in his ashram.

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Two of his aides were also awarded jail time of 20 years in the same cases.

Then in January 2023, Asaram was convicted in another 2013 case involving sexual assault against a woman at one of his ashrams.

Also read: Asaram's son Narayan Sai sentenced to life imprisonment in rape case

The self-styled godman last year had approached the Supreme Court requesting to suspend the life sentence imposed on him by a trial court in the 2013 rape case. In response, the apex court sought a report from the Gujarat government but added it would only consider request on medical grounds.

In August last year, the Gujarat High Court rubbished the godman’s plea for the suspension of life imprisonment handed by a local court in 2023.

(With inputs from agencies)