No relief for Asaram, Supreme Court rejects bail plea

New Delhi, Jan 5: In a major setback for self-styled godman Asaram, the Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of his bail plea for four weeks.

This after a medical board of AIIMS, which examined Asaram, in its report submitted to the apex court, said that he does not need any surgery. The medical board said that the controversial godman is not suffering from any disease of serious nature and his ailments can be treated with medication, says media reports.

The apex court has now granted two weeks' time to Asaram's lawyers to look into medical report and file their response.

The apex court on October 15 had 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 Jodhpur rape case.

Earlier, Asaram had moved a bail application in the apex court and had submitted a medical report by a Jodhpur hospital, which had recommended a surgery stating that he was suffering from trigeminal neuralgia.

The court then sought a fresh medical report from a medical board of AIIMS rejecting the bail application.

72-year-old Asaram who is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail was arrested after a 16-year-old girl lodged a police complaint on August 20, 2013, accusing him of sexually assaulting her at his ashram there. Arrested in September last year, Asaram is being tried under the provision of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

OneIndia News

(With agency inputs)