2013 Rape Case| Apex Court Issues Notice To Gujarat Govt On Asaram Bapu's Plea Seeking Suspension Of Life Sentence

The Supreme Court today issued a notice to the Gujarat Government on a plea filed by spiritual leader Asaram Bapu seeking suspension of the life sentence imposed on him by a Trial Court in a 2013 rape case.

The two-Judge Bench of Justice M M Sundresh and Justice Aravind Kumar said, "We will issue notice, but we will consider only on medical conditions."

The Gujarat High Court had earlier on August 29, 2024 rejected the Application filed by Asaram seeking suspension of life imprisonment. The Court had noted that in a matter of conviction appeal, there will always be some arguable points but that by itself cannot be a ground to hold that the conviction may not be sustainable at the stage of deciding the prayer of suspension of sentence. It further said that the various grounds raised are required to be considered at the time of final hearing of the appeal.

Background -

The Sessions Court in January 2023 had convicted Asaram in the 2013 rape case, filed by a woman who was living in his Ashram near Gandhinagar. As per the prosecution case, the parents of the victim were devotees of Asaram and used to visit his Surat Ashram. The victim and her other siblings from the childhood were often taken by their parents for darshan at the ashram at Surat. The family of the victim had blind faith in the applicant and his religious activities.

In these circumstances, the victim rendered her services as a Sevika and stayed in the ashram, Motera, Ahmedabad from 1997 to 2007. It was alleged that during the stay at Motera ashram, she was abused sexually and was illegally confined by the accused and the other accused persons were aided principal accused in commission of the alleged sexual activities.

Asaram is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan in another rape case. According to his plea, he was the victim of a conspiracy, and the allegations of rape were false. It was contended that the Trial court committed an error while accepting the victim's explanation for delay of 12 years in lodging the complaint.

Asaram's Appeal against the conviction in a rape case in Jodhpur is pending before the Rajasthan High Court. His application for suspension of sentence in that case was rejected by the Rajasthan High Court in January 2024.

Accordingly, the Apex Court listed the case for further hearing on December 13, 2024.

With PTI Inputs