Gujarat High Court Today (Mar 28) gave a split verdict on Asaram Bapu’s interim bail plea in the 2013 rape case. The matter will be placed before the Chief Justice, who will assign the case to a third judge.
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Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court gave a split verdict on the temporary bail request (interim bail) of self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who is currently in jail for a life sentence in a rape case that happened in 2013.
The case involves the repeated sexual assault of a woman follower at his ashram in Surat.
The High Court bench included Justice Ilesh J Vora and Justice Sandeep N Bhatt. While hearing the matter, they could not agree on whether to give temporary bail to Asaram.
Justice Vora said,
“We have differed on this aspect. I’m in mood to allow for three months. My brother (Justice Bhatt) is dissenting…so within 10-15 minutes we will sign the order and upload it, accordingly it will be placed before the Chief Justice for referring to third judge.”
Hearing this, the lawyer representing Asaram Bapu told the bench,
“Then I will request the Chief Justice about the same…time is of essence here.”
Earlier, on March 25, the High Court had completed hearing and reserved the verdict on this matter.
Asaram Bapu was found guilty in January 2023 by a sessions court in Gandhinagar under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for raping a woman disciple repeatedly in 2013 at his ashram in Surat.
After this conviction, Asaram filed an appeal in the Gujarat High Court, which is still pending.
In the meantime, he approached the High Court again asking for temporary release from jail (interim bail). But in August 2024, the Gujarat High Court had refused to stop (suspend) his life sentence, saying that Asaram had not given any strong or special reason to justify his release while the appeal is still going on.
Due to this refusal, Asaram then took the matter to the Supreme Court.
In January 2025, the Supreme Court of India granted Asaram temporary bail till March 31 on the basis of medical reasons.
Now, after the split decision in the High Court, the matter will be sent to the Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court, who will assign it to a third judge to break the tie and decide the issue of interim bail.
CASE TITLE:
Ashumal @ Asharam Thaumal Sindhi v. State of Gujarat.
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