A Rajasthan Government affidavit has stated that Asaram Bapu is deliberately “doing this to delay pending trial at Gandhi Nagar and Jodhpur and he is stable and fit” in a plea filed by the so-called godman. Asaram has challenged the Rajasthan High Court order dismissing his plea for temporary suspension of sentence to avail ayurvedic medical treatment.
The bench of Justice Navin Sinha and Justice Ajay Rastogi adjourned the matter on Tuesday saying the reply had been filed yesterday evening and they didn’t get the time to read it. The bench deferred the hearing to June 11, Friday, and asked Asaram’s Counsel to file his rejoinder-affidavit by Friday. The Supreme Court had issued notice on Asaram’s petition on June 4.
In its affidavit filed yesterday, the Rajasthan Government said Asaram, under the garb of his medical treatment, is desiring to get his sentence suspended. He has made two similar attempts in 2014 and 2016 and both previous times, the Apex Court had created a committee of doctors which found his health condition stable and not as critical that it would require any surgical management.
“Asaram has made a third attempt to get his sentence suspended, under the garb of medical treatment. In the previous round of petitions, the accused had prayed for immediate medical surgery of his ailment, through allopathic method, which failed and now through present petition, he has raised his concern to get his treatment from Ayurveda. Asaram has placed on record clinical summary on Feb 17, 2021 issued by MM Hospital Jodhpur, wherein he was advised coronary angiography, which was refused by him,” the affidavit said.
The affidavit highlighted that the MM Hospital clinical summary does not show any specific health problem needing immediate attention and such surgery or angiography cannot be done at an Ayurveda hospital.
The affidavit further submitted that AIIMS Jodhpur has a cardiologist, neurologist, endocrinologist, urologist, orthopedic consultants and experienced Ayurveda acharyas are available at Ayurveda University Hospital, Jodhpur and they are capable of treating Asaram effectively.
The affidavit submitted that Asaaram is facing trial at Sessions Court Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat under section 376, 377, 354, 357, 342, 346, IPC and also at MM Court, Jodhpur under section 353, 355, 384, 177, 189, 120 (B) IPC and Section 66 of IT Act. Asaram has been attempting to change the venue of his custody under the guise of medical treatment. Such change would be an abuse of the process of law, the affidavit said.
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Asaram Bapu had been given a life sentence for raping a 16-year-old girl. He was arrested in 2013 after a case of sexual assault was filed against him by two of his followers, who alleged that he had assaulted their daughter. He was convicted of the 2013 attack on the girl, a devotee at his ashram in Jodhpur, by a court in the city’s jail.