The Supreme Court
has declined to grant a stay on the sentence of rape convict Asaram Bapu,
rejecting his plea citing deteriorating health conditions.
Asaram Bapu, a
self-proclaimed godman, invoked Article 136 of the Indian Constitution, seeking
relief from the Supreme Court after the High Court of Rajasthan at Jodhpur
dismissed his Suspension of Sentence (SoS) application based on medical
grounds.
In his plea
before the high court, Bapu asserted his innocence and highlighted that he had
already served over 11 years in prison.
Filed through
Advocates Rajesh Inamdar and Shashwat Anand, the Special Leave Petition (SLP)
submitted that Asaram Bapu had experienced severe chest pain and was rushed to
AIIMS Jodhpur on February 21, 2024, marking the third such instance in four
months. The petition emphasised Bapu's age, over 85 years, and asserted his
fundamental right to receive medical treatment from a hospital or doctor of his
choice.
The petitioner
argued that given his medical complexities and advanced age, suspending the
sentence was crucial to safeguard his health and prevent a punishment that
could effectively amount to a death sentence.
Despite his
pleas, Bapu's requests for parole have been rejected twice by the high court,
citing potential law and order issues upon his release.
The case against
Asaram Bapu stems from complaints lodged by two sisters from Surat, who accused
him and his son Narayan Sai of rape and illegal confinement during their time
at his ashram in Ahmedabad between 1997 and 2006.
Asaram Bapu has
been incarcerated in Jodhpur jail since 2013, following allegations of rape by
a minor girl. In 2018, he was convicted by a Jodhpur court for sexually
assaulting a teenage student at his ashram, receiving a life sentence.
A bench
comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta heard the plea on Friday
and declined to grant a stay on the sentence.