Asaram requires no surgery, only medication, AIIMS tells SC

Jailed spiritual guru Asaram Bapu, who suffers neurological ailment trigeminal neuralgia, could be treated through medication and required no surgical intervention, a panel of doctors from AIIMS told the Supreme Court Monday.

The panel of doctors had examined Asaram on the directions of the apex court.

"The opinion of half a dozen doctors of AIIMS is that at present, any surgical intervention is not required. He can be treated in OPD," observed a bench of Justice T.S.Thakur and Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel after going through the report.

The apex court Oct 15 had asked the AIIMS to constitute a medical board that would go through the medical papers and reports of Asaram Bapu and if required clinically examine him.

Asking Asaram's counsel Salman Khurshid to ensure that the costs born by the Rajasthan government for bringing him to AIIMS from Jodhpur were paid, the court adjourned the hearing till Jan 20 giving time to Khurshid to peruse the report.

The court directed its registry to provide the copies of the AIIMS report to all the parties including Asaram.

On Aug 19, the court had asked the principal of Jodhpur-based S.N. Medical College to constitute a team of doctors to examine Asaram for trigeminal neuralgia and the course of treatment required.

The medical board had said that Asaram was suffering from age-related ailments including the neuralgia.

The apex court Dec 1, 2014, had said that it would consider Asaram Bapu's plea for interim bail only after it receives report on his ailments from AIIMS and the examination of material witnesses in the case of alleged rape of minor girl was completed.

The 72-year-old Asaram who is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail was arrested in September 2013 after a 16-year-old girl lodged a police complaint Aug 20, 2013, accusing him of sexually assaulting her at his ashram in Jodhpur.

He is being tried under the provision of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).