SC rejects Asaram Bapu's plea to stay sentence on medical grounds

Asaram Bapu, 85 years old, has been incarcerated in Jodhpur jail since 2013. In 2018, he received a life sentence for sexually assaulting a teenage student at his ashram

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

The Supreme Court (SC) has declined to grant a stay on the sentence of rape convict Asaram Bapu, rejecting his plea citing deteriorating health conditions.

Asaram Bapu, a self-proclaimed godman, invoked Article 136 of the Indian Constitution, seeking relief from the Supreme Court after the High Court of Rajasthan at Jodhpur dismissed his Suspension of Sentence (SoS) application based on medical grounds.

In his plea before the high court, Bapu asserted his innocence and highlighted that he had already served over 11 years in prison.

Filed through Advocates Rajesh Inamdar and Shashwat Anand, the Special Leave Petition (SLP) submitted that Asaram Bapu had experienced severe chest pain and was rushed to AIIMS Jodhpur on February 21, 2024, marking the third such instance in four months. The petition emphasised Bapu's age, over 85 years, and asserted his fundamental right to receive medical treatment from a hospital or doctor of his choice.

The petitioner argued that given his medical complexities and advanced age, suspending the sentence was crucial to safeguard his health and prevent a punishment that could effectively amount to a death sentence.

Despite his pleas, Bapu's requests for parole have been rejected twice by the high court, citing potential law and order issues upon his release.

The case against Asaram Bapu stems from complaints lodged by two sisters from Surat, who accused him and his son Narayan Sai of rape and illegal confinement during their time at his ashram in Ahmedabad between 1997 and 2006.

Asaram Bapu has been incarcerated in Jodhpur jail since 2013, following allegations of rape by a minor girl. In 2018, he was convicted by a Jodhpur court for sexually assaulting a teenage student at his ashram, receiving a life sentence.

A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta heard the plea on Friday and declined to grant a stay on the sentence.