The Rajasthan High Court has reserved its judgment on Asaram’s appeal against his life sentence in a minor sexual assault case. The final decision will determine whether his 2018 conviction is upheld or overturned.
The Rajasthan High Court has reserved its order on the appeal filed by self-styled godman Asaram challenging his conviction and life sentence in a minor sexual assault case. The matter was heard by a division bench comprising Justices Arun Monga and Yogendra Kumar Purohit, who concluded extensive hearings before reserving the judgment on Monday.
Asaram, now 85 years old, was earlier convicted by a trial court in Jodhpur in April 2018 and sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The case relates to allegations that he sexually assaulted a minor at his ashram in Manai village near Jodhpur.
The High Court proceedings were conducted in a strictly time-bound manner following directions issued by the Supreme Court of India in December 2025. The apex court had instructed that long-pending criminal appeals, including this one, must be disposed of within three months. In compliance, the High Court began day-to-day hearings from February 16 and clearly stated that adjournments would not be granted routinely.
During the course of the hearings, arguments from the defence side were completed earlier this month. Thereafter, the victim’s counsel, P. C. Solanki, presented rebuttal arguments before the bench. After hearing both sides in detail, the Court reserved the matter for judgment.
The case dates back to 2013 when Asaram was arrested for allegedly assaulting the minor. Following trial, the Special POCSO Court, presided over by Judge Madhusudan Sharma, convicted him. In the same case, two co-accused, Shiva and Shilpi, were sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment, while two others, Sharad and Prakash, were acquitted.
It is noteworthy that some of the co-accused have already secured suspension of their sentences and are currently out on bail. Asaram himself has been on temporary bail since October 29, 2025, granted on medical grounds.
In a related development, Asaram has also filed an application seeking an extension of his interim bail, citing health concerns. He requested urgent consideration of the plea on April 15, as his existing relief is nearing expiry. However, the High Court declined to entertain the plea immediately and clarified that the bail application would be taken up strictly as per the schedule fixed by the registry.
The reserved judgment in this high-profile case is now awaited, which will determine whether the conviction and life sentence awarded to Asaram will be upheld or set aside.
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