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Gujarat HC Denies Temporary Bail to Asaram to Visit Ailing Wife
- •The Gujarat High Court denied self-styled godman Asaram a 20-day temporary bail to meet his 83-year-old ailing wife, who is hospitalized in Ahmedabad.
- •Asaram, currently imprisoned in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, sought bail on humanitarian grounds, citing his wife's critical health.
- •The court noted that medical reports indicated his wife was responding well to treatment and expected to be discharged soon.
- •Asaram is serving life sentences for rape convictions in both Gandhinagar (2013 case) and Jodhpur (2013 minor rape case).
- •The court suggested Asaram could request video conferencing with his wife through the jail superintendent.
Key Questions Answered
The Gujarat High Court denied Asaram a 20-day temporary bail to visit his 83-year-old ailing wife because medical and police reports indicated she was responding well to treatment and expected to be discharged within a few days. However, the court noted he could request the jail superintendent to communicate with her via video conferencing.
Asaram is serving a life sentence following a January 2023 conviction by a Gandhinagar court for raping a woman disciple at his Motera ashram between 2001 and 2006. He is also serving another life sentence for raping a minor girl at his ashram in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, in 2013.
The Supreme Court declined to grant Asaram interim bail after reviewing an AIIMS medical report stating he did not require hospitalization, though it ruled he should be provided with a round-the-clock caregiver. The apex court also allowed him to approach it if his health conditions worsen.
