Asaram's devotee's plea to meet him in jail dismissed

The Rajasthan High court on Tuesday dismissed the plea of a Delhi-based devotee of self-styled godman and rape convict Asaram, seeking the court's permission to meet him in jail.

Stating that the jail authorities did not let him meet Asaram in jail, devotee Jogendra Tuli, an advocate by profession, had also sought "ayurvedic treatment and nutritious food" for the rape convict on the ground of his "old age and frail health" and wanted his plea to be converted into a public interest lawsuit.

A bench of Chief justice Indrajit Mohanty and Justice Sanget Raj Lodha, however, dismissed the plea after hearing brief arguments from Tuli and the state's Additional Advocate General Karan Singh.

Tuli argued that Asaram was weak and old, and require ayurvedic treatment and nutritious food.

But he was not being provided either, he said, while urging the court to convert his plea into a PIL.

Objecting to Tuli's argument, law officer Singh said the petition did not qualify at all for being treated as a PIL, and termed all allegations in the petition as false.

"After perusal of all the applications to meet Asaram, only suitable applicants were given permission to meet him time to time. There are thousands of devotees of Asaram in the country and all of them could not be allowed to meet him, argued Singh.

Referring to the petitioner's allegation about lack of medical care and food to Asaram, Singh said proper medical check-ups, both ayurvedic and allopathic, were provided to Asaram time to time.

He is also being provided proper food as per his needs, the law officer said.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the bench dismissed the petition.