The Rajasthan High Court: In a criminal application filed by Asharam Bapu for extension of temporary bail granted on 14-01-2025 on humanitarian grounds for medical treatment subject to conditions as set by the Supreme Court, a Division Bench of Dinesh Mehta and Vinit Kumar Mathur, JJ., noting a similar extension granted by Gujarat High Court on 03-07-2025, granted the extension of temporary bail till 12-08-2025. The Court clarified that no further extension will be granted.
Asharam Alias Ashumal, also known as Asaram Bapu, was convicted in 2018 for raping a 16-year-old girl at his ashram in Jodhpur in 2013 and sentenced to life imprisonment.
He had previously been granted interim bail until 31-03-2025, by the Supreme Court, solely on humanitarian grounds for medical treatment due to his deteriorating health. This interim bail was extended by the Gujarat High Court on 28-03-2025, for three months on medical grounds, recognizing his need for specialized care and continuous monitoring for various ailments. His son, Narayan Sai, was also granted 5 days of temporary bail by the Gujarat High Court in June 2025 to meet his ailing father, Asaram Bapu, as they had not met since Narayan Sai’s incarceration in 2013. Narayan Sai had been convicted in 2019 for offences including rape and unnatural sex.
The Asaram Bapu’s counsel contended that the Gujarat High Court, on 03-07-2025, had already partly allowed a similar application for temporary bail, extending it for one month.
In light of the extension granted by the Gujarat High Court, the Court allowed the application for extension of temporary bail. The Court extended the temporary bail up to 12-08-2025. The Court observed that no further indulgence would be granted for the extension of temporary bail.
[Asharam Alias Ashumal v. State of Rajasthan, D.B. Criminal Misc Suspension of Sentence Application (Appeal) No. 68/2025, decided on 08-07-2025]
Advocates who appeared in this case:
For the Petitioner: Nishant Bora, Rakesh Gehlot, Yash Singh Rajpurohit, Bharat Sain, Advocates
For the Respondent: Deepak Choudhary, AAG, PC Solanki, Advocate
