Supreme Court refuses to entertain bail plea of Asaram Bapu in 2013 rape case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain the bail plea of self-styled godman Asaram Bapu convicted in a 2013 case against him for rape of a minor girl [Asharam @ Ashumal v State of Rajasthan]. .A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti said that Bapu can file a fresh plea before the Rajasthan High Court for suspension of sentence if his appeal against conviction by the trial court is not heard expeditiously.After a brief hearing, Asaram's counsel Senior Advocate Devadutt Kamath sought liberty to withdraw the petition which was allowed..The bench was hearing the godman's appeal against a July 2022 Rajasthan High Court order denying him bail.The High Court had also rejected the godman's prayer for suspension of sentence.Asaram was arrested on charges of raping a minor girl in 2013. The offence was said to have taken place in Jodhpur’s Manai village in August 2013.An FIR was initially registered against him on August 20, 2013. He was arrested on the midnight of August 31, 2013 for charges made out under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Juvenile Justice Act (JJ Act) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act).Following Asaram’s arrest, two women from Surat also filed a complaint, alleging that they were raped by Asaram and his son between 2002 and 2005.The criminal trial for the Jodhpur rape case commenced in 2014 and lasted for four years. He was convicted by the trial court in 2018 and sentenced to life imprisonment.His appeal against the same is pending before the High Court.Meanwhile, he moved the High Court for bail citing his advanced age of around 83 years. He said that he was suffering from numerous ailments and that he has been in prolonged custody.The same came to be rejected leading to the appeal before the top court.Kamath today argued for bail citing the fact that the godman was behind bars for over ten years and the appeal against conviction was taking time to be heard.The Court, however, refused to entertain the plea.