With self-styled godman Asaram, who is serving a life sentence for rape, securing fresh interim bail, the survivor’s father has expressed grave concerns for his family’s safety, stating that Asaram “can do anything” to them at any time.
A resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur district, the survivor’s father voiced shock over the repeated granting of bail to Asaram and alleged that “he is managing everyone.” The victim, who was a minor (16) at the time, was raped at Asaram’s Jodhpur ashram in 2013. The Gujarat High Court on Friday granted him temporary bail for three months on medical grounds.
Senior advocate Shalin Mehta, representing Asaram, argued that the 86-year-old suffers from heart and kidney ailments and requires Ayurvedic ‘panchakarma’ treatment. The lawyer informed the court that the treatment, which recently commenced at a Jodhpur-based Ayurvedic facility, would take another three months to complete.
“When Asaram was in jail, it was our victory. Now he is managing everyone. I am surprised that the court is repeatedly granting him interim bail—first for seven days, then 12 days, then two and a half months, and now for three months,” the survivor’s father told PTI.
On January 7, the Supreme Court granted Asaram interim bail until March 31 in a case registered by the Gujarat Police. With that period nearing its end, his lawyers approached the high court seeking an extension for another three months starting April 1.
The survivor’s father further alleged that their lawyer had betrayed them by failing to file an objection to Asaram’s bail plea despite having all necessary documents. “Even after repeated requests, our lawyer did not file an objection in court. As a result, the court granted him bail again for three months. We signed all the papers and handed them over, but he kept delaying and deceived us,” he claimed. He also stated that ever since Asaram’s release, his supporters have been asserting that he would not return to jail.
“Their words are proving to be true,” he said, adding that Asaram has been traveling to Indore, Ujjain, and Surat to meet his followers. “What kind of illness does he have? The danger to our family has increased. He can do anything to us at any time. Now, we are only dependent on God.”
Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajesh Dwivedi confirmed that security measures have been reinforced for the survivor’s family. A guard has been deployed at their residence, along with two gunmen. Additionally, a CCTV camera covering the entire house has been installed, and local Kotwali police have been instructed to conduct nighttime patrols.
“Our officers are constantly monitoring the security of the survivor’s family,” the SP added.
Asaram was convicted in 2018 and sentenced to life imprisonment under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. In 2023, he was also convicted by a Gujarat court for raping a woman disciple at his ashram in Ahmedabad’s Motera area.
