New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to grant interim bail to self-styled godman Asaram, who is serving a life sentence in a 2013 minor sexual assault case. However, the court allowed him to appoint a trained caregiver of his choice to assist him round the clock.
A Bench of Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice P.B. Varale kept Asaram’s plea for interim bail on medical grounds pending and permitted him to mention the matter again if his health deteriorates.
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that Asaram had concealed from the court that his counsel had already filed a parole application. In response, Asaram’s lawyer submitted that the parole plea had been filed much earlier and was not based on medical grounds.
Earlier, the Rajasthan High Court had granted the 85-year-old Asaram 20 days’ parole, observing that the state government had failed to justify its decision to reject his application. The High Court also took into account the period he had already spent in prison and his conduct during previous interim releases while granting the relief.
The Supreme Court had earlier been informed that a medical board at AIIMS had concluded that Asaram did not require hospitalisation but needed continuous medical assistance. On July 21, the apex court directed AIIMS to constitute a medical board to assess his health condition.
