On Friday, the Supreme Court of India sought the Rajasthan government’s response on a plea of Asaram Bapu—who has been facing varying jail terms including a life sentence in sexual assault cases— to allow him to undergo ‘holisitc’ treatment at an Ayurvedic centre near Haridwar in Uttarakhand.
Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for Asaram, submitted, “I am here for interim bail. I am an 83-year-old man serving a life term and there has been a history of medical ailments. Give him two months’ time to recuperate. This is the limited relief which I am seeking. Today he needs holistic treatment.”
Luthra also said that Asaram Bapu wanted to be treated at Prakash Deep Institute of Ayurved which is located between Hardwar and Rishikesh in Uttarakhand.
The Top court orally observed that it was not inclined to grant interim bail by suspending self-styled Godman’s sentence for medical treatment.
“We are not medical experts”, the Court said. However, the apex court issued notice to Rajasthan Government and listed the plea for hearing on Tuesday.
The Supreme Court was hearing a petition filed by convicted godman Asaram Bapu challenging a Rajasthan High Court order dismissing his plea for temporary suspension of sentence to avail Ayurvedic medical treatment.