Over the past two years, self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, convicted for rape in two cases, has cited his deteriorating health to obtain court relief at least 15 times through medical treatment permissions, emergency paroles, and interim bail. On May 27, that run was halted.
Strong words, not without reason. When Asaram surrendered on May 28, he had been out on interim bail for seven months. Before that stretch, he had spent long periods in various hospitals since March 2024. Taken together, records show, Asaram received court-sanctioned medical relief more than a dozen times between March 21, 2024, and May 25, 2026.
Medical plea
In January 2024, going into Asaram’s medical history before declining his fourth Suspension of Sentence application for bail, the Rajasthan High Court said that while ordinarily, a convict who has undergone a sentence of 10 years or more can get bail, “In the present case, the allegation against the appellant is… that he sexually assaulted a minor disciple… Apart from that, the appellant has also been convicted by a criminal court in (the) State of Gujarat in a rape case. Looking (at) the above facts… his sentence is not liable to be suspended.”
Asaram’s lawyers then moved another petition seeking permission for a “bypass surgery/angioplasty”. In February 2024, the court rejected the hospitals listed by Asaram as preference, and suggested that he take treatment at AIIMS, New Delhi, as recommended by AIIMS, Jodhpur.
In March 2024, Asaram’s lawyers told the Rajasthan HC that he is “willing to undergo his treatment at Madhavbaug Multidisciplinary Cardiac Care Clinics and Hospitals, Khopoli, Maharashtra, under police custody and is prepared to bear all the expenses that may be incurred in providing police aid…”.
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The court noted that Asaram has co-morbidity (heart ailment and chronic kidney disease) and has been hospitalised two-three times. Listing his history of ailments, Madhavbaug hospital told the court that Asaram “seems to be in critical condition”.
However, a report by the Raigad District Superintendent of Police, under whose jurisdiction Madhavbaug fell, said it was not safe to shift Asaram there “in view of security and law and order”.
Finally, on March 21, 2024, the HC cited Asaram’s age and noting that “the right to get appropriate treatment is his fundamental right”, allowed him to be taken to the Arogyadham Ayurvedic Centre in Jodhpur in police custody, while permitting doctors from Madhavbaug to supervise his treatment here. One of the conditions was that Asaram bear the cost of his own security.
Asaram was in hospital for a week, from March 25, 2024, until April 2. Then again, on April 16, the HC allowed him to get admitted at the Jodhpur centre for “7-10 days”, after Asaram’s lawyers said his health had improved after the first stay.
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On July 26, following a plea by his lawyers, the HC removed the condition that he pay for his security – “considering that providing security to the applicant and other citizens is otherwise a responsibility of the State”.
On August 13, Asaram got another relief, with the HC granting him “emergent parole” for seven days so that he could this time get treatment at Madhavbaug hospital in Maharashtra. The court cited Asaram’s age, “prolonged actual custody”, “recommendations made in the reports of AIIMS, Jodhpur”, and “recommendations made by the seven-member Medical Board Committee to the convict to undergo Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG)”, among other things.
On September 3, the HC extended Asaram’s emergent parole by five days, commencing the same day.
On November 7, 2024, the court eased the conditions of Asaram’s bail, and modifying its April 16 order, said he could stay at Arogyadham, Jodhpur, for a “period deemed appropriate” by hospital authorities, subject to a maximum period of 30 days at a stretch, “whereafter he shall again be lodged in the jail”.
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Just when the month had got over, on December 10, the HC allowed Asaram to take medical treatment at Madhavbaug hospital, under police custody, for 17 days. The court said Asaram need not be brought back to jail in the interim.
Supreme Court relief
On January 7, 2025, Asaram got relief from the Supreme Court, which granted him interim bail till March 31 for his medical treatment, stating that “we are not inclined to go into the merits of the case… we have no hesitation in holding that the petitioner does require interim bail on medical ground.”
Subsequently, the Rajasthan HC too gave him bail on January 14, till the same date, March 31, 2025.
The Gujarat HC followed suit. It first gave Asaram bail till June 30, 2025, and on April 7, extended it till July 1.
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Arguing against his bail in the Rajasthan HC, the complainant’s counsel P C Solanki had said Asaram “is misusing the liberty which was granted to him by this Court and he is not only meeting disciples but also giving sermons”.
However, Additional Advocate General Deepak Choudhary pointed to the testimony of two constables, who had been with Asaram throughout his interim bail, that the self-styled godman “had not given any sermon”.
The HC then said: “We find that there are stray instances of certain disciples meeting the applicant, but the same… cannot be taken to be a breach (of the Supreme Court bail).” The HC also considered an affidavit by Asaram, where “he clearly asserted that neither any organized speech/sermon was given nor had he met with disciples in groups”.
After the Gujarat HC extended Asaram’s interim bail, the Rajasthan HC, on April 7, 2025, too extended his bail till July 1, 2025. Then, as Gujarat HC extended Asaram’s bail till July 7, Rajasthan HC too extended it till July 9, 2025.
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On July 8, the Rajasthan HC issued yet another order, extending Asaram’s bail till August 12, while observing that “no further indulgence shall be granted to the applicant”.
However, on August 11, after Asaram’s lawyers submitted that the Gujarat HC had extended his interim bail up to August 21, the Rajasthan HC extended his bail till August 29.
A medical certificate submitted by Jodhpur’s Arogyam Ayurvedic Hospital to the court on October 13, 2025, stated that Asaram is suffering from multiple serious illnesses: heart disease, kidney disease, severe bone thinning with high risk of fractures (osteoporosis), muscle loss leading to difficulty in performing day-to-day activities (sarcopenia), and recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding, loss of control over bladder and bowel… He is frail and wheelchair-bound, needing assistance for feeding, toileting, and daily care.”
The HC held that the State shall have to ensure that Asaram “remains in Arogyam Hospital, where he is presently admitted, subject of course to unavoidable circumstances, such as emergency or deterioration of his health conditions”.
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Fifteen days later, while Asaram was admitted at Arogyam Hospital, the Rajasthan HC released Asaram on interim bail for six months.
The HC noted that Asaram had served 12 years, 11 months and 27 days of his sentence, including remission – the actual custody period hence being “11 years, 6 months and 3 days” – and that at 86 years of age, he was suffering from several ailments and was “in a vegetative condition”.
As per Rajasthan Prison Rules, remission is “reduction in sentence granted as a reward for good conduct and behaviour in prison, as well as for labour special contributions and cooperation of the prisoner”. The different kinds of remissions include “ordinary”, “special” and “by the state government”, with different rules for different prisoner categories, including those serving life terms.
Two months after Asaram got bail, the complainant in the case against him moved the Supreme Court, saying that apart from receiving medical treatment while out on bail, Asaram had been touring various cities and giving “pravachan (sermons)”. In videos on social media, a wheel-chair bound Asaram has been seen in the past few months at pilgrimage cities such as Ujjain and Ayodhya, apart from on multiple visits to Gujarat.
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Advocate Shobha Gupta, representing the complainant, said Asaram had violated his bail conditions – which forbid him from meeting his followers in a group – by participating in public events, and that his health condition was not so severe as to justify continued medical bail. She also questioned the Rajasthan HC’s decision to grant bail despite the gravity of the offences against Asaram.
In a subsequent suspension of sentence application, Asaram’s lawyers, led by Devdatt Kamat, told the court that it may take time to pronounce the judgment in his appeal against his 2018 conviction and that the interim bail be allowed to be continued.
Subsequently, on April 29, 2026, the HC granted him bail till May 25, or up to the date the judgement is delivered in his appeal, whichever is earlier; on May 25, this was extended till July 7.
In the meantime, on May 27, 2026, the Rajasthan HC pronounced its judgement on Asaram’s plea. Upholding Asaram’s life term in the minor’s rape case, the court said: “The appellant was 73 at the time. He is now 86. He thus stands before us bent by age and burdened by ailment, imploring a fresh look at his plea for leniency. We have considered his plea and applied our mind. We are unable to grant any indulgence, since in the shadow of his frailty cannot justify ignoring the victim’s voice. Quiet. Devastating. Irrefutable. To ignore it would be to shake society’s faith in the criminal justice system, and send wrong a message no court must ever send, least of all when the perpetrator hid behind the cloak of a self-styled godman.”
Asaram’s lawyer Nishant Bora said that they will file a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court soon. On Asaram’s health, Bora said: “He is not doing very well, there has been no improvement in his condition.”
On allegations that Asaram was violating bail conditions by giving sermons, Bora said the HC had said Asaram could not meet people in groups, and that he was only meeting two-four persons at a time.
The victim’s lawyer, Solanki, said the sentencing of Asaram – “with life imprisonment which shall be for the remainder of his natural life” – was a big victory for justice and that the fact that Asaram was now back in jail proved their case, he said.
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15 times and counting
- March 21, 2024: HC allows Asaram to be taken to Arogayadham Centre, Jodhpur; stays until April 2
- April 16: HC allows him to get admitted at the Jodhpur centre for “7-10 days”.
- July 26: HC removes condition that he pay for his security
- Aug 13: HC grants “emergent parole” for 7 days so Asaram can get treatment at Madhavbaug hospital in Maharashtra.
- Sept 3: HC extends Asaram’s emergent parole by 5 days.
- Nov 7: Court eases his bail conditions, says can stay at Arogyadham for a “period deemed appropriate” by hospital authorities.
- Dec 10: HC allows Asaram’s treatment at Madhavbaug for 17 days.
- Jan 7, 2025: SC gives him interim bail until March 31 for treatment.
- Jan 14: Rajasthan HC too gives him bail until same date; Gujarat HC gives bail until June 30, extends it to July 1.
- April 7: Rajasthan HC extends bail until July 1; is extended to July 7 by Gujarat HC & July 9 by Rajasthan HC.
- July 8: Rajasthan HC extends bail until Aug 12.
- Aug 11: Asaram’s lawyers submit Gujarat HC has extended his interim bail up to Aug 21, Rajasthan HC extends his bail until Aug 29.
- Oct 13: Arogyam Ayurvedic Hospital states Asaram suffering from multiple serious illnesses.
- Oct 29: Rajasthan HC gives Asaram interim bail for six months
- April 29, 2026: HC grants him bail until May 25, or up to the date judgment delivered in his appeal, whichever is earlier
- May 25: Bail extended until July 7
- May 27: Rajasthan HC cancels bail
