No interim bail for self-styled godman Asaram: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today refused to grant interim bail to self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who was accused of rape and murder, Asaram had approached the Apex Court for interim bail on medical grounds. Refusing to interfere with the Rajasthan High Court order, an Apex Court division bench, headed by Justice Madan B. Lokur and also comprising Justice RK Agrawal, asked the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director to constitute a three-member medical board to examine him for the ailments he was complaining about.

Asking for the report in ten days' time, the bench did not accept Asaram's plea to release him on interim bail for a month or two so that he could travel to Kerala for Panchkarma Ayurveda treatment. Appearing for Asaram, senior counsel Raju Ramachandran assailed the high court order. He told the SC that it has not taken into account the ailments afflicting the self-styled godman. Ramachandran sought interim bail on the ground that Asaram had poor control over his urination and bowel movement and jail doctors have said that he defecates in bed. Asaram, 73, was arrested in September 2013 after a 16-year-old girl lodged a police complaint in August that year, accusing him of sexually assaulting her at his ashram in Jodhpur. (UNI)