Asaram’s plea for interim bail: Don’t want any untoward thing to happen, says Supreme Court

“We don’t want anything untoward to happen,” the Supreme Court said on Friday, July 17, 2026, while asking the Rajasthan government to take appropriate instructions regarding the health condition of self-styled godman Asaram, who had sought interim bail on medical grounds.

The Rajasthan High Court on May 27 upheld the conviction and life imprisonment given to the octogenarian in the 2013 rape of a minor.

He applied to the higher court requesting temporary bail on health grounds.

The matter came up for hearing before a bench comprising justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, speaking on behalf of the Rajasthan government, told the Bench that AIIMS had said that Asaram needed some lifestyle changes.

While asking Mehta to take necessary instructions regarding his health condition, the Bench said, “We do not want ourselves to be blamed or you to be blamed.”

The state will submit a statement by July 20, Mr. Mehta said.

The senior legal official added that Asaram was taking medication and said, “There is some bleeding due to gastro problem, but this seems to be a temporary phenomenon.”

“We will just say please take appropriate instructions because we don’t want anything untoward to happen,” Bench said.

Asaram’s lawyer said he was a high-risk patient.

Mr. Mehta said that three months ago, Asaram went to Ayodhya and Kashi Vishwanath and walked everywhere.

The court sent the matter to hearing on July 21.

On June 30, the top court sought a response from the Rajasthan government after Asaram challenged the high court order upholding his conviction and life imprisonment in the case.

The high court had meanwhile said that the medical facility provided to him so far should continue, subject to the satisfaction of the health authority concerned.

The court also granted the petitioner the freedom to speak out urgently if his condition worsens to require immediate medical attention.

The high court upheld Asaram’s conviction in the case but acquitted him of charges related to alleged gang rape and sexual assault of a child under the old Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.

However, the high court upheld his conviction under IPC Section 376(2)(F) for rape of minors, thereby preserving the life imprisonment imposed by the trial court.

The apex court also cited Sections 342 (wrongful imprisonment), 370(4) (trafficking in human beings), 506 (criminal threat), 509 (insulting the chastity of a woman), 354(A) (sexual harassment), Sections 7/8 of the POCSO Act. It also upheld the convictions under Article 1 and several other provisions, including Section 23 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

Earlier, Asaram was found guilty of sexually assaulting a minor student at his ashram on April 25, 2018 and was sentenced to life imprisonment under various provisions of the IPC, POCSO Act and Juvenile Justice Act.