Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court has directed the Jodhpur Central Jail administration to continue providing special medical and support facilities to self-styled godman Asaram, including alkaline water, outside food, a separate bed, and bedding. The order comes days after the jail administration withdrew several facilities following Asaram’s surrender on May 28 this year.
Disposing of a criminal writ petition filed on Asaram’s behalf, a single bench of Justice Sanjeev Prakash Purohit observed that a prisoner’s age and medical requirements do not cease merely because an appeal has been decided. “The age and health needs of a prisoner do not cease to exist merely because the appeal against him has been disposed of. Facilities earlier granted by the Supreme Court and the High Court should continue to ensure protection of his medical needs and human rights,” the court said.
Asaram’s counsel, advocates R.S. Saluja and Yashpal Singh Rajpurohit, argued that despite no improvement in his health, the jail administration had discontinued several facilities previously granted by the courts. Medical records submitted before the High Court showed that the 85-year-old convict suffers from multiple ailments, including severe heart disease, diabetes, kidney-related complications, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, and other chronic health conditions.
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The court ordered that the existing arrangement allowing food from private sources should continue. While the earlier provision of one meal from outside remains unchanged, the court also permitted the supply of alkaline water, subject to conditions imposed in previous judicial orders.
The High Court further directed that the services of two assistants be continued. However, it rejected Asaram’s request to appoint assistants of his own choice, leaving the responsibility to the jail administration to select suitable and willing persons. The court declined to grant permanent permission for a private ambulance but directed authorities to ensure an appropriate ambulance is available in case of a medical emergency. It also allowed private physician Sachit Bhola to meet Asaram inside the jail once every 15 days. The court clarified that all medical facilities and permissions granted by various courts in the past would continue to remain in force.
The order comes shortly after a division bench of the Rajasthan High Court, comprising Justice Arun Monga and Justice Yogendra Kumar Purohit, upheld Asaram’s life sentence in the 2013 sexual assault case involving a minor student at his Jodhpur ashram. While affirming the trial court’s verdict, the bench observed that while prison walls confine the accused, there are no walls that can contain the lifelong trauma suffered by the victim.
The court subsequently cancelled Asaram’s interim bail and directed his immediate surrender. In the same judgment, the High Court acquitted co-accused Shilpi, a hostel warden, and Sharat Chandra, director of the Gurukul, citing a lack of evidence linking them to any criminal conspiracy.
The case dates back to August 2013, when allegations emerged that a minor student had been sexually assaulted inside a hut at Asaram’s Manai Ashram in Jodhpur. In April 2018, a trial court convicted Asaram and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Following the High Court’s recent verdict, he returned to Jodhpur Central Jail to serve the remainder of his sentence.
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