The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to grant interim bail on medical grounds to self-styled godman and rape convict Asaram.
A Bench of Justice MM Sundresh and Justice PB Varale, however, took note of a medical report submitted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), which stated that although Asaram did not presently require hospitalisation, he would need round-the-clock medical assistance.
Referring to the AIIMS medical assessment dated July 31, 2026, and relying on the Solicitor General’s statement to execute its terms in full, the Court ruled that the petitioner may engage a trained, full-time caretaker of his selection while in custody.
The Supreme Court kept Asaram’s interim bail application pending, noting that his team can request an expedited hearing if his medical condition deteriorates
The AIIMS report was filed pursuant to the Supreme Court’s July 21 direction to the institute’s Director to constitute a team of specialists for a comprehensive medical examination of Asaram.
The interim bail plea forms part of Asaram’s appeal against the Rajasthan High Court judgment upholding his conviction for the 2013 sexual assault of a minor devotee in Jodhpur.
According to the prosecution, the minor survivor was wrongfully confined in Asaram’s kutiya (thatched hut) at his ashram in Jodhpur’s Manai area in August 2013, where she was allegedly subjected to penetrative sexual assault and criminal intimidation.
A trial court convicted Asaram along with co-accused hostel warden Sanchita Shilpi and school director Sharad Chandra. In May this year, the Rajasthan High Court affirmed Asaram’s conviction under Sections 370(4), 342, 509, 506, 354A and 376(2)(f) of the Indian Penal Code, Section 23 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, and Sections 3, 4, 7 and 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Challenging that decision, Asaram approached the Supreme Court and sought interim bail, claiming that he was suffering from “acute internal bleeding.”
The State opposed the plea. Appearing for Rajasthan, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had earlier argued that only three months ago Asaram had travelled to Kashi Vishwanath and Ayodhya after securing medical bail.
Countering the plea, the Solicitor General noted that despite obtaining medical bail under the pretext of being incapacitated, Asaram has been actively traveling around.
On July 17, the Supreme Court had indicated that it was not inclined to grant interim bail without first examining the State’s objections and obtaining an independent medical assessment of Asaram’s condition.
When the matter was heard on Thursday, Mehta also alleged that Asaram had suppressed the fact that he had separately sought parole during the pendency of the bail proceedings.
Accusing Asaram’s legal team of non-disclosure, the Solicitor General noted they hid a parallel parole application from the Supreme Court while simultaneously concealing the Supreme Court proceedings from the High Court that granted him a 20-day health parole.
Counsel for Asaram disputed the allegation, stating that the parole application had been filed much earlier and that parole had not been granted on medical grounds.
After considering the submissions and the AIIMS medical report, the Supreme Court declined to grant interim bail but allowed Asaram to avail the services of a trained caregiver around the clock and granted him liberty to seek a fresh hearing if his health deteriorates.
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