The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Rajasthan government to respond to a plea by Asaram Bapu, who is serving a life sentence in sexual assault cases, for permission to undergo treatment at an ayurvedic centre near Haridwar in Uttarakhand.
The top court, however, observed orally that it was not inclined to grant interim bail by suspending the self-styled godman’s sentence for two months to enable him to get “holistic” treatment at a medical centre of his choice.
“Issue notice [to Rajasthan government],” a Bench led by Justice B.R. Gavai directed. The court listed the case for hearing on Tuesday.
In April 2018, Jodhpur court had sentenced Asaram to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of raping a girl at his ashram in 2013. He was also convicted in a 2002 rape case and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Asaram is also facing a rape case in Surat in Gujarat. He was arrested in Indore and brought to Jodhpur on September 1, 2013. He was under judicial custody since September 2, 2013.
