Gujarat High Court Adjourns Asaram Bapu's Regular Bail Plea In 2013 Rape Case To September 26

The Gujarat High Court on Monday (September 22) adjourned to Friday (September 26) the regular bail plea of Asaram Bapu who was convicted in a 2013 rape case by a sessions court in Gandhinagar and is serving a life sentence.

A division bench of Justice Ilesh J Vora and Justice PM Raval was informed by Asaram Bapu's counsel that he will be filing a regular bail plea before the Rajasthan High Court as well.

"Lordships may keep it on Friday. In the meantime we will file regular bail in Jodhpur. In case (Rajasthan) High Court adjourns the matter then may I request that I can renew my request for arguing the matter here," the counsel said.  

The counsel further said that Asaram had been hospitalized after rejection of his temporary bail plea by the Rajasthan High Court last month.

His plea for extension of temporary bail is also pending before the Gujarat High Court. 

For context, the Rajasthan High Court had on August 27 dismissed Asaram Bapu's plea for interim bail (in a separate case) and had directed him to surrender by August 30. As per news reports, Asaram Bapu had surrender himself before the Jodhpur jail.

Earlier this month Asaram Bapu's counsel before the Gujarat High Court had argued on the circumstances which had emerged regarding the applicant's health.

The court had at that time orally remarked, "That's why we are telling you unnecessarily you are pressing this application. That will directly impact on your regular bail application. See the reality and you have to accept it. See the order of Rajasthan High Court. Today you are pressing on your temporary bail. Your regular bail is coming on 22nd (September). On that day you may press subsequent development with regard to your health...Extension of temporary bail would not be helpful to applicant who is already...propriety demands, we cannot examine this aspect now".

After arguing the matter for some time the applicant's counsel thereafter requested that the temporary bail extension plea may be kept on September 22 when regular bail plea is listed.

The Gujarat High Court had in its August 19 order taken note of the fact that a medical report on the applicant had been called for by the Rajasthan High Court in his plea therein which was listed on August 27. In view of this the Gujarat High Court had while keeping Asaram Bapu's plea on September 3, extended his temporary bail till then.

Case title: ASHUMAL @ ASHARAM v/s STATE OF GUJARAT & ANR.

CR.MA/4/2025 (FOR REGULAR BAIL) 

R/CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 607 of 2023