Gujarat High Court Extends Temporary Bail of Asaram till July 7 on Medical Grounds

The Gujarat High Court on Friday extended the temporary bail granted to self-styled godman Asaram till July 7, 2025, in connection with the 2013 rape case for which he is serving a life sentence.

A division bench comprising Justices Ilesh Vora and Sandeep Bhatt passed the order while hearing a plea seeking continuation of the temporary relief originally granted on March 28, 2025. The court noted that the extension was being granted to allow Asaram’s counsel time to place certain documents on record, including a certificate from the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), which was stated to be under process.

Asaram, currently out on medical bail, had been released from custody on April 7, 2025, following a delay of about ten days after securing temporary bail, due to the procedural requirement of obtaining relevant permissions from the Rajasthan High Court in Jodhpur.

During the hearing, his counsel submitted that the procedural delay had effectively shortened the three-month relief period and requested a brief extension to file necessary documents and allow the respondents to verify the same. “Then on Monday, in any case, I have to surrender, so lordships may give me one or two days till the matter is pending,” the counsel urged.

Taking into account what it described as the “peculiar facts of the present case,” the bench observed that the process of obtaining the NALSA certificate was underway and that an extension till July 7 would be appropriate in the circumstances.

The court had earlier granted three-month temporary bail to Asaram on March 28, following a split verdict by a division bench. The matter was referred to a third judge, who ruled in favour of granting the relief. The temporary bail was set to expire on June 30.

Asaram was convicted by a Gandhinagar court in January 2023 for repeatedly raping a woman disciple from Surat between 2001 and 2006 at his ashram in Motera, Ahmedabad. He was found guilty under multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 376(2)(C) (rape), 377 (unnatural offences), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault or criminal force to outrage modesty), 357 (assault), and 506 (criminal intimidation).

In addition to this conviction, Asaram is also serving a life sentence for the sexual assault of a minor girl at his ashram in Rajasthan in 2013.