The Rajasthan High Court has granted a seven-day parole to self-styled spiritual leader Asaram Bapu, serving a lifer in Jodhpur Central Jail in a rape case, for medical treatment. Asaram Bapu left for Pune on Tuesday, the first time the 80-year-old was released from prison in 11 years.
On parole, Asaram would be treated through the Ayurvedic route at the Madhavbaug Hospital in Khopoli, a place that falls in the outer reaches of Pune. His parole period would be from the time he goes into the hospital.
An ambulance escorted Asaram to a special gate of the airport, from where he was sent to Mumbai in an IndiGo flight at 2:20 p.m. with a Jodhpur police escort, besides two assistants.
The Rajasthan High Court has directed that Asaram will not be allowed to meet anyone while receiving treatment, his hospital accommodation would fall under the ambit of continuous police surveillance, and he will have to bear the expenses of treatment and travel.
ASARAM has been serving a life sentence in the Jodhpur Central Jail since 2018 when he was convicted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, among others, for raping a minor girl. The self-styled godman, earlier granted permission to undergo treatment at a private Ayurvedic hospital in Jodhpur while being in police custody, was transferred to Jodhpur AIIMS as his health deteriorated.
In March, the Supreme Court rejected the plea of Asaram for suspension of sentence on medical ground, asking him to reapply to the Rajasthan High Court for permission to receive treatment in Pune under police supervision.
Earlier, on January 11, the Rajasthan High Court had dismissed Asaram's fourth plea for suspension of sentence or bail on the ground that it may lead to a law and order situation in case he is granted treatment of his choice.
Asaram was convicted on April 25, 2018, by a special POCSO court in Jodhpur which sentenced him to imprisonment till life. He has been in jail since September 2, 2013.
This January 2023, a court in Gujarat sentenced Asaram to life imprisonment over a decade-old sexual assault case filed by his woman disciple, who accused him of repeatedly raping her at his ashram in 2013.
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