Sick Asaram Bapu To Come Out Of Jail; Gets 7-Day Parole For Treatment In Maharashtra

Asaram Bapu, the famous godman who is serving life imprisonment after being convicted in the rape case, will come out of jail for 7 days and will be taken to Maharashtra for medical treatment under police custody. The Rajasthan High Court granted him bail on medical grounds. The 85-year-old godman will go to Maharashtra for treatment under police custody.

Previously, the High Court had rejected Asaram Bapu's pleas for parole twice, citing potential law and order issues upon his release. Earlier this year in February, Asaram Bapu was rushed to AIIMS Jodhpur after he experienced severe chest pain.

Asaram Bapu was convicted by a POCSO court in Jodhpur and sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a teen girl in his ashram. He is serving a life sentence in Central Jail, Jodhpur.

Last year, the godman was convicted by a trial court in Gujarat for raping a woman disciple on several occasions at his Surat ashram in 2013.

In March, the Supreme Court had refused to intervene in a plea filed by Asaram Bapu challenging the decision of the Rajasthan High Court rejecting his petition for suspension of the sentence on medical grounds.

The top court, however, said the godman could approach the High Court seeking a nod for medical treatment.

In his petition filed through his advocates, Asaram Bapu said his health was precarious and "rapidly deteriorating".

The plea said the godman had already served 11 years of imprisonment, and he had "suffered a series of heart attacks". The advocates also cited his coronary angiography report of January 14, saying it showed "arterial blockages of up to 99%".

"The petitioner, who is in the twilight of his life, aged more than 85 years, is apprehending that he may die in jail if he is not allowed to take treatment from a hospital/doctor of his choice, which is a fundamental right granted to every person, regardless of the fact whether he is a convict or an undertrial," the petition stated.