New Delhi: The Rajasthan High Court on Tuesday granted permission for self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who is serving a life sentence for the rape of a minor, to undergo Ayurvedic treatment for seven days at a hospital in Maharashtra. The treatment will take place under strict police custody.Asaram, 83, has been incarcerated since his arrest in September 2013 and is currently serving his sentence following his conviction by a special POCSO court in 2018. The conviction relates to the sexual assault of a teenage girl at his ashram in Jodhpur. In addition to this case, Asaram was also convicted by a Gujarat court in January 2023 for a decade-old sexual assault case involving a woman disciple, leading to another life imprisonment sentence.Asarams curious case Recently, Asaram developed a heart-related ailment and was admitted to AIIMS Jodhpur for treatment. After his release from AIIMS, he insisted on receiving Ayurvedic treatment and requested the courts permission to be treated specifically at the Madhavbaug Multidisciplinary Cardiac Care Clinic and Hospital in Pune.The court, comprising Justices P S Bhati and Munnuri Laxman, agreed to his request but emphasized that Asaram would remain under police custody throughout his stay at the Ayurvedic hospital. This decision came after a similar plea earlier in March, where Asaram sought 14 days of parole for Ayurvedic treatment in Pune. However, the court rejected that request due to concerns from Pune police about potential law and order issues during his stay.Asarams earlier pleas for the suspension of his sentence on health grounds were denied by both the Rajasthan High Court and the Supreme Court. In the past, he was permitted to receive Ayurvedic treatment at a private hospital in Jodhpur for about two weeks.
