The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the Gujarat government regarding self-styled godman Asaram’s plea for suspension of the life sentence imposed on him by a Gandhinagar trial court in a 2013 rape case.
A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Aravind Kumar clarified that the matter would be considered solely on medical grounds. “We will issue notice, but we will consider [the plea] only on medical conditions,” the bench stated, scheduling the hearing for December 13.
Earlier, on August 29, the Gujarat High Court had rejected Asaram’s request for suspension of his life sentence, ruling that no grounds for relief were established. The High Court underscored the seriousness of the allegations and Asaram’s history, which includes accusations of witness intimidation and the alleged murders of two boys at his Sabarmati ashram.
The Gandhinagar sessions court had convicted Asaram in January 2023 for the rape of a woman who lived in his ashram at the time of the crime.
Despite his advanced age and claims of medical ailments, the High Court noted that these factors, along with the possibility of delays in appeal disposal, were insufficient to merit suspension of his sentence.
The Gujarat High Court also dismissed Asaram’s assertion that the allegations were a conspiracy and questioned the survivor’s delay of 12 years in filing the complaint, deeming the trial court’s acceptance of her explanation as legally valid.
Asaram, who is currently incarcerated in Jodhpur jail, is also serving a sentence in another rape case. His appeal against the Jodhpur conviction is pending before the Rajasthan High Court, which rejected his application for sentence suspension in January 2023.
In his plea before the Supreme Court, Asaram reiterated his claims of innocence, alleging he was a victim of false accusations. The Court’s decision on his latest request will hinge on an evaluation of his medical condition, as stated by the bench.
The case against Asaram, marked by allegations of heinous crimes and witness intimidation, has drawn significant attention. The upcoming hearing in December is expected to shed further light on his bid for relief.
