The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to constitute a medical board to assess the health condition of self-styled godman Asaram, who has sought interim bail on medical grounds.
Supreme Court Asks AIIMS To Assess Asaram's Health In Interim Bail Plea
Medical board to submit report within a week as court considers self-styled godman's plea for interim bail on medical grounds
A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and P B Varale asked the medical board to submit its report within a week.
"We are not granting regular bail except if we are satisfied it is required on a medical ground. Let the report come," the bench observed.
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the plea, saying Asaram had travelled to Kashi Vishwanath and Ayodhya around three months ago despite claiming serious medical ailments.
"He got the bail on the ground that he was in a vegetative state. But now he is roaming around," Mehta submitted.
Appearing for Asaram, his counsel requested that the matter be referred to the AIIMS Director, who could constitute a team of doctors to conduct a comprehensive medical examination and submit a report on whether hospitalisation was necessary.
On May 27, the Rajasthan High Court upheld the conviction and life sentence awarded to the octogenarian in the 2013 rape case involving a minor.
While the high court acquitted him of charges relating to alleged gangrape and penetrative sexual assault under certain provisions of the erstwhile Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, it upheld his conviction under Section 376(2)(F) of the IPC for the rape of a minor, retaining the life sentence imposed by the trial court.
The high court also upheld his convictions under several other IPC provisions, including those relating to wrongful confinement, trafficking, criminal intimidation, sexual harassment and insulting the modesty of a woman, along with Sections 7 and 8 of the POCSO Act and Section 23 of the Juvenile Justice Act.
Asaram was convicted by a trial court on April 25, 2018, for sexually assaulting a minor student at his ashram and sentenced to life imprisonment.
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