NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear the plea of self-styled godman Asaram, who is currently serving life term in a rape case, to suspend his sentence due to his deteriorating health condition.
The bench, consisting of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, directed senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi to approach the Rajasthan high court for relief.
The SC-bench was hearing Asaram Bapu’s challenge to a Rajasthan HC order which rejected his fourth application for suspension of sentence, observing that a law and order situation may arise if he is permitted to undergo treatment ‘on his own’ instead of in ‘police custody’.
Rajasthan high court rejected his plea stating that, “This court is cognizant of the fact that whenever, the convict has been taken out from prison even for attending the dates of hearing during trial, his followers would form huge congregations which would create law and order situations and presently, the risk of spread of Covid infection would become imminent”.
Asaram expressed his willingness to accept the public prosecutor’s statement, stating that he could receive treatment at Madhavbaug Heart Hospital in Maharashtra’s Khopoli while in police custody.
The bench instructed Asaram to submit an application to the Rajasthan High Court, which would consider it in accordance with the law, regarding his treatment at Madhavbaug Heart Hospital. Justice Khanna also highlighted deliberate attempts made by Asaram to delay the hearing of his appeal against his conviction and sentence in the high court.
The Supreme Court ordered the high court to expedite the hearing of Asaram’s appeal after Rohatgi informed the bench about his multiple heart attacks, anaemia with gastrointestinal bleeding, and other age-related ailments.
Asaram, in his plea filed through advocate Rajesh Gulab Inamdar, stated that he has already spent more than 11 years and 7 months in custody for the case.
In 2018, the self-styled godman was convicted by the special POCSO court in Jodhpur for various sexual assault offenses, including rape, and sentenced to life imprisonment. He has been in custody since September 2, 2013, when he was arrested in Indore and brought to Jodhpur for the rape of a teenage girl in his ashram that year.
According to the teenager’s complaint, Asaram had called her to his ashram in Manai near Jodhpur and raped her on the night of August 15, 2013.
The bench, consisting of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, directed senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi to approach the Rajasthan high court for relief.
The SC-bench was hearing Asaram Bapu’s challenge to a Rajasthan HC order which rejected his fourth application for suspension of sentence, observing that a law and order situation may arise if he is permitted to undergo treatment ‘on his own’ instead of in ‘police custody’.
Rajasthan high court rejected his plea stating that, “This court is cognizant of the fact that whenever, the convict has been taken out from prison even for attending the dates of hearing during trial, his followers would form huge congregations which would create law and order situations and presently, the risk of spread of Covid infection would become imminent”.
Asaram expressed his willingness to accept the public prosecutor’s statement, stating that he could receive treatment at Madhavbaug Heart Hospital in Maharashtra’s Khopoli while in police custody.
The bench instructed Asaram to submit an application to the Rajasthan High Court, which would consider it in accordance with the law, regarding his treatment at Madhavbaug Heart Hospital. Justice Khanna also highlighted deliberate attempts made by Asaram to delay the hearing of his appeal against his conviction and sentence in the high court.
The Supreme Court ordered the high court to expedite the hearing of Asaram’s appeal after Rohatgi informed the bench about his multiple heart attacks, anaemia with gastrointestinal bleeding, and other age-related ailments.
Asaram, in his plea filed through advocate Rajesh Gulab Inamdar, stated that he has already spent more than 11 years and 7 months in custody for the case.
In 2018, the self-styled godman was convicted by the special POCSO court in Jodhpur for various sexual assault offenses, including rape, and sentenced to life imprisonment. He has been in custody since September 2, 2013, when he was arrested in Indore and brought to Jodhpur for the rape of a teenage girl in his ashram that year.
According to the teenager’s complaint, Asaram had called her to his ashram in Manai near Jodhpur and raped her on the night of August 15, 2013.