Asaram doesn't need any surgery: AIIMS report

Self-styled 'godman' Asaram, who has been in jail since his arrest in August 2013 in a rape case, does not need any surgery and his aliments can be managed through medicines, a report submitted by a panel of AIIMS doctors to the Supreme Court said on Monday.

A bench of justices TS Thakur and Adarsh Kumar Goel, referring to the findings of the panel, said: "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. Now what remains?"

Senior advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for Asaram, however, sought some time to go through the report.

The bench then fixed the matter on January 20 for hearing and asked its Registry to supply the copies of the report to the parties, including the accused.

It also asked the counsel for Asaram to ensure that the expenses incurred by the Rajasthan police in getting him examined at AIIMS here are paid.

Earlier, the jailed 'godman' was brought to Delhi by the Rajasthan police to undergo various tests at AIIMS to ascertain veracity of his claim that he was unwell and be granted bail on medical ground.

During the previous hearing, the bench had said that there was no medical urgency to grant bail to him and he cannot be given special treatment.

It had refused to pass any order on how 72-year-old Asaram is to be brought from Jodhpur jail to the national capital, saying that it is for the state government to decide on it.

The apex court had on October 15 directed AIIMS Director to set up a medical board to review medical reports and if required clinically examine Asaram to ascertain whether interim bail should be granted to him in the Jodhpur rape case.

Charges have been framed against Asaram for rape, criminal conspiracy and other offences by a Jodhpur court in connection with alleged sexual exploitation of a minor girl in his ashram in Jodhpur.