Jaipur, October 29, 2025: The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday granted six months of interim bail to self-styled godman Asaram, who is serving a life sentence in Jodhpur Central Jail for the sexual assault of a minor girl. The relief was granted on medical grounds after the court reviewed reports indicating his deteriorating health.
A division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma passed the order following a review of Asaram’s medical condition. The 82-year-old convict is currently undergoing treatment at Arogya Private Hospital in Jodhpur.
Asaram had sought regular bail, citing his age and multiple health complications. However, the court declined to release him permanently, allowing instead a six-month interim bail period for essential medical care and recovery.
This is not the first instance of Asaram being granted temporary relief. Both the Supreme Court and the High Courts of Rajasthan and Gujarat have previously approved short-term bail for him on health-related grounds. Earlier this year, in January, the Supreme Court had allowed him interim bail until March-end after considering his cardiac and age-related ailments.
The criminal case against Asaram dates back to August 2013, when a 16-year-old girl accused him of raping her at his ashram near Jodhpur. He was arrested on September 1, 2013, from Indore after the case was transferred from Delhi to Jodhpur. In April 2018, a special court convicted him and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
His conviction sparked violent protests by followers across several parts of the country, especially outside Jodhpur Central Jail, leading to heightened police security.
Besides the Jodhpur case, Asaram and his son Narayan Sai face separate rape charges filed by two sisters in Surat, Gujarat. The latest order marks the longest interim bail Asaram has received so far, providing a rare legal respite for the ailing spiritual leader.
