Rajasthan HC extends interim bail to Asaram Bapu in rape case

NEW DELHI: The Rajasthan high court on Monday granted an extension of the interim bail to Asaram Bapu until July 1 in a rape case.

The decision of the Jodhpur bench came following the expiry of Asaram Bapu's interim bail on March 31. He had turned himself in at the Jodhpur Central Jail on April 1.

The division bench of Justices Dinesh Mehta and Vineet Kumar approved Asaram's application under the same stipulations set by the Supreme Court , which specifically prohibited him from conducting sermons or congregating with followers.

During the hearing on April 2, the respondent's lawyer P C Solanki raised objections to the relief, stating that Asaram had breached bail conditions by delivering sermons to followers at his Indore ashram.

After Solanki presented video evidence to substantiate these claims, the court requested an affidavit from Asaram.

According to Asaram's legal representative Nishant Bora, the affidavit was presented to the court on Monday. He stated, "The court accepted the affidavit and granted our prayer for extension of interim bail till July 1."

Upon surrendering at the jail on April 1, the self-styled godman was admitted to a private Ayurveda hospital that night.
Previously, the Gujarat High Court had granted him three months of interim bail on March 28 in a separate rape case in Surat.