New Delhi: On Tuesday, the Supreme Court dismissed the bail petition filed by self-proclaimed godman Asaram Bapu, who was convicted of raping a minor girl at his Ashram in Manai village, Jodhpur, in August 2013.
The bench, consisting of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice S.V.N. Bhatti, suggested that Asaram could file a fresh plea before the Rajasthan High Court for the suspension of his sentence if his appeal against the trial court's conviction wasn't expedited.
Advocate Devadutt Kamath, representing the convicted rapist, argued that Asaram had already spent over a decade behind bars, and his appeal was experiencing delays in being heard. Despite this plea, the Apex Court declined to entertain it. Consequently, the counsel requested permission to withdraw the petition, which was granted.
The petitioner had contested the July 2022 decision of the Rajasthan High Court, which had denied him bail in the case of the rape of a minor. The High Court had also rejected his request for the suspension of his sentence.
