Gujarat High Court rejects self-styled godman Asaram's plea for suspension of life sentence in 2013 rape case

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The Gujarat High Court has rejected a plea by jailed self-styled godman Asaram, seeking the suspension of his sentence in a 2013 rape case, news agency PTI reported. The court cited a lack of "exceptional grounds" to warrant such a relief to Asaram, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Gandhinagar court last year.

A division bench of Justices Ilesh Vora and Vimal Vyas, in their order passed on Thursday, denied the suspension of Asaram's sentence and refused to grant him bail, stating that no compelling case for relief had been presented. The sessions court had convicted Asaram in January 2023 in a rape case filed by a woman who was living in his ashram near Gandhinagar.

Asaram is currently incarcerated in Rajasthan's Jodhpur jail in connection with another rape case. The Gujarat High Court dismissed his arguments regarding potential delays in the disposal of his appeal, as well as his age and medical condition, deeming them irrelevant for granting relief.

The court also took into account Asaram's past conduct, including allegations of the murder of two boys at his Sabarmati ashram and attacks on witnesses and victims' relatives. "At this stage, considering the totality of the circumstances, the grounds of possible delay in appeal and medical ailment as well as the completion of 10 years in jail may not be relevant in considering the prayer for suspension of bail," the court observed.

Asaram's plea claimed that he was a victim of a conspiracy and that the rape allegations against him were false. He also argued that the trial court erred in accepting the complainant's explanation for a 12-year delay in lodging her plaint. Asaram's appeal against his conviction in the Jodhpur rape case is pending before the Rajasthan High Court, which rejected his application for suspension of sentence in January this year.

Asaram undergoes treatment in Maharashtra

On Wednesday, Asaram was brought to a medical facility at Khopoli in Maharashtra's Raigad district for treatment of a heart-related ailment, officials said on Wednesday. The 83-year-old was brought to the multidisciplinary cardiac care clinic of an Ayurvedic hospital in Khopoli, located 70 km from Mumbai, around 8 pm with full police protection, a senior police officer said.

(With PTI inputs)