No Relief For Asaram In Rape Case, To Surrender In Jodhpur Soon

Asaram was arrested in August 2013 on charges of raping a minor student at his Jodhpur ashram.

27 May 2026, 06:06 · www.ndtv.com

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Rajasthan High Court upheld Asaram's life sentence in minor rape case from 2013
Two associates acquitted of gang rape charges but convicted earlier for other offenses
Asaram granted interim bail till July 7 due to medical reasons and advanced age

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New Delhi:

The Rajasthan High Court upheld the life sentence awarded to self-styled godman Asaram in a case pertaining to the rape of a minor girl at his ashram in 2013, while acquitting two of his associates. He will now be required to surrender at the Jodhpur central jail.

Asaram was arrested in August 2013 on charges of raping a minor student at his Jodhpur ashram. Following a prolonged trial, a special POCSO court in Jodhpur convicted him on April 25, 2018, and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Hostel warden Shilpi and sevadar Sharat Chandra were awarded 20 years of rigorous imprisonment each. All three had filed appeals in the High Court against the judgment.

Shilpi and Sharat Chandra were accused of persuading the minor's parents to bring her to Asaram's ashram for treatment. Both have been acquitted of charges of gang rape.

Asaram is currently out on interim bail, which was extended by the High Court till July 7 on medical grounds. The court clarified that the interim bail will remain in force until July 7 or until the pronouncement of the reserved verdict on Asaram's plea seeking suspension of sentence, whichever occurs earlier. The 86-year-old has repeatedly sought bail citing advanced age and deteriorating health.

The division bench of Justice Arun Monga and Justice Yogendra Kumar Purohit had reserved its verdict in the case on April 20 until the conclusion of final arguments. The Bench observed that sufficient direct evidence was not available to substantiate the charges of gang rape and certain provisions under the POCSO Act. The court also held that the victim's primary allegations are credible and that the offence of rape cannot be ruled out.

Timeline of case

On August 21, 2013, an FIR was registered at the Women Police Station in Jodhpur in a minor rape case.
On August 31, 2013, the arrest was made from an ashram in Indore.
On November 6, 2013, a 1021-page chargesheet was filed.
On April 25, 2018, the Jodhpur Sessions Court awarded life imprisonment.
In January 2025, the Supreme Court granted the first interim medical bail under certain conditions.
On August 27, 2025, the Rajasthan High Court rejected the plea seeking extension of bail.
On October 29, 2025, the Rajasthan High Court granted six months' medical bail.
On December 8, 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed the plea seeking cancellation of bail and directed the High Court to decide the appeal within three months.
On April 15, an application was filed seeking extension of bail on medical grounds.
On April 16, the court refused urgent hearing.
On April 17, arguments by the Asaram side on the plea related to suspension of sentence were completed.
On April 20, arguments from the victim's side concluded and the verdict was reserved.

In a separate case, Asaram was also sentenced to life imprisonment in January 2023 for the rape of a female devotee at his ashram in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

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