The Supreme Court of India, on November 22, issued a notice to the Gujarat Government in response to a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, seeking the suspension of his life sentence in a 2013 rape case. The petition follows a conviction handed down by a sessions court in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, on January 31, 2023, where Asaram Bapu was found guilty of multiple crimes, including rape, wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation, and assault.
The case involves allegations that Asaram Bapu repeatedly raped his female disciple at his Ahmedabad-based Ashram. After his conviction, the godman approached the Gujarat High Court in August 2023, seeking a suspension of his sentence due to health concerns, but the request was denied. The court upheld the trial court’s decision, asserting that there was no prima facie error in the lower court’s judgment.
Today, the matter was heard before a bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Aravind Kumar. Senior Advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu, representing Asaram Bapu, sought to highlight the petitioner’s frail health, stating that Asaram, aged 86, suffers from severe medical conditions, including heart blockages and a history of two heart attacks. Naidu emphasized that medical reports from AIIMS and other hospitals indicated that the godman’s health was at significant risk, particularly in colder weather, which he claimed could prove fatal without proper medical care in a temperature-controlled room.
Justice Kumar questioned the circumstances surrounding Asaram’s earlier rejection of allopathic treatment, mentioning that the petitioner had previously filed an affidavit before the Rajasthan High Court insisting on treatment only at a specific Ayurvedic center. Naidu responded that Asaram had rejected allopathic treatments, opting instead for Ayurvedic and homeopathic care, which he claimed was more suitable for his condition.
The Supreme Court bench, noting the seriousness of the health issues presented, agreed to examine the medical reports and assured that they would consider the request for suspension of sentence after reviewing the details of his condition.
The case, titled Ashumal @ Asaram v. The State of Gujarat, SLP(Crl) No. 15945/2024, continues to unfold as Asaram Bapu seeks a reconsideration of his sentence while contending with ongoing health challenges. The court has directed that further proceedings will focus on verifying his medical condition before a decision is made.
This legal development adds to the ongoing controversies surrounding the self-proclaimed spiritual leader, who has faced multiple charges of sexual abuse over the years.
