The Rajasthan High Court has dismissed the plea of incarcerated self-proclaimed godman Asaram seeking approval to undergo medical treatment at a facility in Pune.
The court’s decision came following a report from Pune police expressing concerns about potential threats to law and order during his stay at the hospital there.
Asaram, who has been in custody since August 2013, was convicted by a Jodhpur court in a rape case and was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2018.
He had requested permission from the high court to receive treatment for his ailments through the Ayurveda system at Madhavbaug Multidisciplinary Cardiac Care Clinic and Hospital in Pune.
A division bench comprising justices V K Mathur and Dinesh Mehta rejected his plea and directed him to undergo treatment at the Ayurveda University Hospital in Jodhpur.
The bench also inquired whether the necessary treatment was available there or not and instructed the Additional Advocate General (AAG) to submit a report on this matter by March 22, the next date of the hearing.
During the hearing on March 15, the court had sought details about the treatment procedure and its duration. It had also requested reports from both the Jodhpur Police Commissioner and the Mumbai Police Commissioner regarding the necessity of a police team and potential law and order issues arising from his transit and stay in Pune.
It is noteworthy that Asaram’s counsel had applied for a 14-day parole citing the need for treatment at Madhavbaug Hospital.
In opposition to this plea, the AAG contended that Jodhpur possessed medical institutions such as AIIMS and Ayurveda University capable of delivering medical care of superior standards.