Rajasthan High Court upholds Asaram Bapu's life term, drops gangrape charge
While rejecting Asaram's plea to set aside his life sentence, the bench held that charges of rape, sexual assault under the POCSO Act and offences under the Juvenile Justice Act stood proved. However, granting him partial relief, the court said the evidence on record was insufficient to sustain charges related to gangrape and criminal conspiracy.
The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday upheld the life sentence awarded to self-styled godman Asaram in the rape case of a minor, dismissing his appeal against the conviction and sentence passed by a trial court in 2018.
At the same time, the Jodhpur bench gave him partial relief by acquitting him of the charges of gangrape and criminal conspiracy. The court also directed Asaram to surrender, even though he is currently out on interim bail on medical grounds.
The verdict was delivered by a division bench of Justice Arun Kumar Monga and Justice Yogendra Kumar Purohit on appeals filed by Asaram and his co-accused, Sharatchandra and Shilpi.
While rejecting Asaram’s plea to set aside the life sentence, the bench held that the charges of rape under the Indian Penal Code, sexual assault under the POCSO Act and offences under the Juvenile Justice Act had been proved. However, it said the evidence on record was not sufficient to sustain the charges related to gangrape and criminal conspiracy.
The High Court also acquitted Sharatchandra and Shilpi of all charges. Both had earlier been sentenced by the trial court to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment.
The case goes back to 2013, when allegations emerged that Asaram had sexually assaulted a minor girl at his ashram in Jodhpur. After the investigation, the police filed a chargesheet, and in April 2018, a special POCSO court convicted Asaram and sentenced him to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life.
Arguments in the appeals concluded on April 20 this year. Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat and other lawyers appeared for Asaram and his aides. Additional Advocate General Deepak Chaudhary represented the Rajasthan government, while advocate P.C. Solanki appeared for the survivor.
After the verdict, Solanki said the High Court had not stayed Asaram’s sentence and that the life imprisonment remained in force. He also said that, after consulting the survivor, they would move the Supreme Court against the acquittal of the co-accused.
Asaram has been out on interim bail on medical grounds since October 2025. Before that, he had received temporary extensions on multiple occasions after first being granted short-term relief in March 2024 for medical treatment. Two days ago, the period of his interim bail was extended till July 7.
During his time in custody, Asaram’s legal team filed several petitions before different courts, including the Supreme Court, seeking bail and other relief. With the High Court now upholding his life sentence, while setting aside the gangrape and criminal conspiracy charges and acquitting Sharatchandra and Shilpi, the case has moved into its next legal stage.
The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday upheld the life sentence awarded to self-styled godman Asaram in the rape case of a minor, dismissing his appeal against the conviction and sentence passed by a trial court in 2018.
At the same time, the Jodhpur bench gave him partial relief by acquitting him of the charges of gangrape and criminal conspiracy. The court also directed Asaram to surrender, even though he is currently out on interim bail on medical grounds.
The verdict was delivered by a division bench of Justice Arun Kumar Monga and Justice Yogendra Kumar Purohit on appeals filed by Asaram and his co-accused, Sharatchandra and Shilpi.
While rejecting Asaram’s plea to set aside the life sentence, the bench held that the charges of rape under the Indian Penal Code, sexual assault under the POCSO Act and offences under the Juvenile Justice Act had been proved. However, it said the evidence on record was not sufficient to sustain the charges related to gangrape and criminal conspiracy.
The High Court also acquitted Sharatchandra and Shilpi of all charges. Both had earlier been sentenced by the trial court to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment.
The case goes back to 2013, when allegations emerged that Asaram had sexually assaulted a minor girl at his ashram in Jodhpur. After the investigation, the police filed a chargesheet, and in April 2018, a special POCSO court convicted Asaram and sentenced him to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life.
Arguments in the appeals concluded on April 20 this year. Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat and other lawyers appeared for Asaram and his aides. Additional Advocate General Deepak Chaudhary represented the Rajasthan government, while advocate P.C. Solanki appeared for the survivor.
After the verdict, Solanki said the High Court had not stayed Asaram’s sentence and that the life imprisonment remained in force. He also said that, after consulting the survivor, they would move the Supreme Court against the acquittal of the co-accused.
Asaram has been out on interim bail on medical grounds since October 2025. Before that, he had received temporary extensions on multiple occasions after first being granted short-term relief in March 2024 for medical treatment. Two days ago, the period of his interim bail was extended till July 7.
During his time in custody, Asaram’s legal team filed several petitions before different courts, including the Supreme Court, seeking bail and other relief. With the High Court now upholding his life sentence, while setting aside the gangrape and criminal conspiracy charges and acquitting Sharatchandra and Shilpi, the case has moved into its next legal stage.
