Out on parole, rape convict Asaram taken to Pune for ayurveda treatment

Jodhpur, Aug 27 : Self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who is serving life sentence in Jophpur Central Jail following his conviction in a rape case, left for Pune for medical treatment on Tuesday after being granted seven-day parole by the Rajasthan High Court.

Asaram, who walked out of jail after 11 years, will undergo ayurveda treatment at the Madhavbaug Hospital in the Khopoli area on the outskirts of Pune, officials said.

Asaram was granted seven-day parole by the Rajasthan High Court on August 13. His parole will be counted from the time when he is admitted to the hospital.

The ambulance carrying Asaram entered the airport through a special gate after which he was taken to Mumbai on an IndiGo flight at 2:20 p.m., accompanied by Jodhpur police personnel and two attendants.

The high court has given clear instructions that Asaram will not be able to meet anyone during the course of his treatment.

The private room where Asaram will stay will be guarded by the police 24x7. Also, he will bear the entire cost incurred for his treatment and travel.

Asaram has been serving life imprisonment in the Jodhpur prison following his conviction under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other offences by a trial court in 2018 for raping a minor girl.

He was earlier allowed to undergo treatment at a private ayurvedic hospital in Jodhpur under police custody. However, as his health condition deteriorated, he was admitted to Jodhpur AIIMS.

In March this year, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain a plea filed by Asaram seeking suspension of sentence on medical grounds.

A bench presided over by Justice Sanjiv Khanna had allowed the petitioner to file a fresh application before the Rajasthan High Court seeking to undergo treatment at the Pune facility under police custody.

To recall, on January 11, the Rajasthan High Court had rejected the fourth application filed by Asaram seeking suspension of sentence or bail on the ground that law and order problems may arise if he is not allowed to receive medical treatment of his choice.

On April 25, 2018, Asaram was convicted of raping a minor by a special POCSO court in Jodhpur which sentenced him to life imprisonment.

He has been in jail since September 2, 2013.

In January 2023, a court in Gujarat had convicted the self-styled godman in a decade-old sexual assault case involving a woman disciple, and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

The victim had accused Asaram of repeatedly raping her at his ashram in 2013.