raj_ahmed
“He, Asaram Bapu, has served a 10-year prison sentence and is now 85 years old. The Court stated on Thursday that instead of considering his plea for suspension of sentence, we will directly address the main appeal.”
Given his advanced age and nearly ten years in prison, the Gujarat High Court has decided to begin hearing the appeal that self-styled godman Asaram Bapu filed against his conviction in a 2013 rape case on April 4. [Ashumal @ Asharam Thaumal Sindhi (Harpalani) vs State of Gujarat].
Asaram Bapu’s legal team is attempting to overturn the decision that resulted in his imprisonment in the case “Ashumal @ Asharam Thaumal Sindhi (Harpalani) vs State of Gujarat,” which is a significant step in his pursuit of legal remedies. The judiciary’s resolve to guarantee a just and prompt settlement is demonstrated by the decision to give priority to the appeal processes, which emphasizes the seriousness of the situation.
The length of Asaram Bapu’s incarceration has been a topic of discussion. Some have argued for his release, given his age and health issues, while others stress the significance of maintaining justice and accountability. The case’s course could be greatly altered by the impending hearings, which would have ramifications not only for the parties involved but also for larger public conversations about faith, authority, and legal responsibility.
All eyes are on the Gujarat High Court, where Asaram Bapu’s appeal will ultimately be resolved, while the legal struggle plays out. The proceedings on April 4th are expected to mark a significant turning point in the pursuit of justice and resolution in a case that has captured the public’s interest for many years.
The godman was pleading for his prison sentence to be suspended when a division bench of Justices AS Supehia and Vimal Vyas decided to give priority hearing to his appeal against the rape conviction.
“He has undergone 10 years in prison and is 85-years-old. We will hear the main appeal itself instead of his plea for suspension of sentence,” stated Justice Supehia.
The Court also mentioned that considering the similar time requirements for hearing either the main appeal or the plea to suspend the sentence, they have decided to commence the hearing of the main appeal on April 4.
In addition, the Court said that it would expedite the thousands-of-page appeal hearing before summer vacation to give the bench-stated ruling after the vacation.
A Gujarat trial court found Asaram Bapu guilty in January 2023 of repeatedly raping his female follower at his Surat ashram in 2013.
Sections 376, 377, 354 (outraging modesty of a lady), 346 (wrongful detention), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 201 (destroying evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) were among the sections under which Asaram was found guilty of charges.
The survivor said that between 2001 and 2006, Asaram imprisoned her in his ashram outside of Surat and sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions, according to the First Information Report (FIR) that was submitted to the Chandkheda police station in Ahmedabad.
He has previously been the target of similar accusations. He is already receiving a life sentence for sexual assaults in two different incidents.
He was moved from Indore, where he was first detained in 2013, to a jail in Jodhpur, where he has been held since 2018.
Asaram contended in a plea deal that he was not guilty, claiming that the prosecution’s evidence against him was “fake, fabricated, concocted,” and that it was the prosecutrix’s afterthought.
He said that the prosecution witnesses, who appear “dissatisfied and unhappy” with his ashram’s operations, are the masterminds behind this carefully crafted conspiracy case.
He claimed that witnesses for the prosecution plotted to extort money from him, and he emphasized the delayed filing of the First Information Report (FIR)—after 12 years.
“The trial court has misjudged the fact that several witnesses cited by the prosecution seem to be hostile witnesses, either removed from the ashram due to misconduct or left the ashram and attempted to defame its image by falsely implicating the applicant,” the plea agreement stated.
Asaram Bapu’s appeal stated that it’s “highly improbable” that the victim, who was 21 at the time, would testify about “forceful sexual intercourse,” considering his age of 64 at the time.
“Therefore, the victim’s account appears highly improbable as she could have easily resisted and fled to protect herself,” said the plea.
