Rajasthan High Court Upholds Asaram’s Life Sentence In 2013 Rape Case

The Rajasthan High Court has upheld the life sentence awarded to self-styled godman Asaram in the 2013 rape case linked to his ashram, while acquitting two co-accused earlier convicted for conspiracy.

In Asharam @ Ashumal v. State of Rajasthan, a division bench of Justice Arun Monga and Justice Yogendra Kumar Purohit delivered the judgement on Wednesday morning.

The case arose from allegations that a woman was sexually assaulted by Asaram at his ashram in 2013. In April 2018, a Special POCSO Court in Jodhpur had sentenced him to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life.

The trial court had convicted him under Sections 376(2)(f), 376D, 370(4), 342, 506 and 120B of the IPC. He was also held guilty under Sections 5(g), 6, 7 and 8 of the POCSO Act.

The Rajasthan High Court has now confirmed his conviction for rape, human trafficking, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation. However, it set aside his conviction for gang rape and criminal conspiracy.

The Court also did not uphold the conviction under the POCSO Act. Despite these modifications, the High Court maintained the life sentence imposed on Asaram for the rape offence and related IPC charges.

At the same time, the Court acquitted co-accused Sharad and Shilpi, who were earlier sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment. They had been accused of facilitating the victim’s meeting with Asaram and assisting in the alleged conspiracy.

The bench found that the evidence was insufficient to sustain the conspiracy charges against the two co-accused. Their convictions and sentences were therefore quashed.

The case has remained one of the most high-profile criminal matters involving a religious leader in India. The High Court’s ruling now substantially upholds the findings of the trial court against Asaram, while granting relief to the other accused persons.

The detailed judgement is awaited.