On Tuesday, the Supreme Court allowed Asaram Bapu, a self-styled spiritual leader, to leave jail temporarily for medical reasons until March 31. Asaram is serving a life sentence for a rape case from 2013 in Gujarat. However, he needs similar approval for his other case in Rajasthan, where he also received a life sentence for molesting a minor girl.
The judges, led by Justice MM Sundresh, mentioned that Asaram is very old, at 86 years, and has serious heart problems. They said the law should consider a person’s health. Asaram will be released under specific rules: he cannot meet large groups of followers, and three police officers must accompany him at all times.
The Gujarat government, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, expressed concerns about his safety since witnesses in his case have been harmed before. They insisted that Asaram should have armed police protection. Despite his health problems, Asaram has reportedly not been seeking treatment for heart issues.
Asaram’s lawyer, Devadatt Kamat, argued that his client’s health is very poor, and the police officers should not interfere with his hospital visits or healthcare. The judges clarified that police would not get in the way of his treatment but insisted on restricting large crowds at the hospital for safety.
Asaram has also faced conviction in Rajasthan under laws meant to protect children from sexual offenses. Last year, the Supreme Court rejected his plea to pause his sentence based on health but allowed him to appeal against his conviction.
Kamat has said that he plans to use this temporary bail to seek a similar arrangement for Asaram in his Rajasthan case. He also questioned the Gujarat government’s claims about the security needed while highlighting the absence of evidence regarding the elimination of witnesses against Asaram.
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