The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed self-styled godman Asaram’s plea for suspension of sentence on health grounds in connection with conviction in a minor girl’s rape case, reports Live Law.
The Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta were hearing his challenge to a Rajasthan High Court order, which had rejected his fourth application for suspension of sentence. The court had observed that a law and order situation may arise if he is permitted to undergo treatment “on his own” instead of “police custody”.
The bench asked senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, to approach the High Court for relief after he said Asaram was willing to accept the public prosecutor’s statement that he could avail treatment at Madhavbaug Heart Hospital in Maharashtra’s Khopoli in police custody.
The top court bench asked Asaram to submit an application before the Rajasthan High Court for his treatment at the hospital in Maharashtra and it would be considered in accordance with the law.
The 82-year-old man is currently serving life imprisonment in Central jail in Jodhpur. Last year, a Gujarat court also convicted him in another rape case and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
In 2018, Asumal Harpalani, popularly known as Asaram Bapu by his followers, was convicted by the special POCSO court in Jodhpur for a series of offences, including a minor girl’s rape at his ashram in 2013.