Rajasthan high court extends Asaram’s interim bail till May 25 on medical grounds

NEW DELHI: The Rajasthan high court on Wednesday extended the interim bail of self-styled godman Asaram till May 25 on medical grounds. The 86-year-old is currently serving life sentences in two separate sexual assault cases, as reported by PTI news agency.A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Sangeeta Sharma granted the bail extension after taking note of his health condition.Asaram’s counsel argued that he is still undergoing treatment and has not fully recovered, urging the court to continue the interim relief."Having taken note of the fact that the judgment has been reserved on April 20,2026 and written submissions have also been advanced, under the same conditions as laid down by us in our order dated October 29, 2025, which will apply mutatis mutandis to this order, we extend our bail order for a period of another one month, i.e., up to May 25,2026 or up to the date the judgment is delivered by the Division Bench, whichever is earlier", as quoted by LiveLaw.The high court had earlier granted him interim bail on October 29, 2025, for six months, which was set to expire on April 29.Asaram's legal team moved the court a day before the deadline, seeking an extension citing his “deteriorating” health problem.The Rajasthan High Court’s earlier order was followed by similar interim relief from the Gujarat High Court on November 6, 2025. In December, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a plea seeking cancellation of his bail and directed the Rajasthan High Court to decide his pending appeal within three months.Earlier this month, on April 15, the high court had declined an urgent hearing on his plea for extension.However, after considering the submissions regarding his medical condition, the bench has now allowed the extension.Meanwhile, arguments in his appeal for suspension of sentence have already been completed, with the matter reserved for judgment after both sides concluded their submissions.Asaram is serving life imprisonment in two cases, one relating to the rape of a minor girl at his Rajasthan ashram in 2013, and another involving the repeated sexual assault of a woman disciple between 2001 and 2006 at his ashram near Ahmedabad.