Asaram Surrenders at Jodhpur Central Jail After Rajasthan HC Upholds Life Sentence in 2013 Rape Case

Jodhpur, May 2026 : Self-styled godman Asaram surrendered at Jodhpur Central Jail on Thursday after the Rajasthan High Court upheld his life imprisonment sentence in the 2013 minor rape case and revoked his interim bail.

Asaram reached Jodhpur in the late afternoon amid tight security arrangements. His arrival at the airport drew a large number of supporters, leading to tense scenes as police struggled to manage the crowd.

Inside his vehicle, Asaram was seen waving at followers and offering blessings as security personnel escorted him out of the airport. The gathering of supporters created significant law and order challenges, with police deployed in strength to control the situation and clear the area.

From the airport, he proceeded to his ashram in Pal village before heading to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jodhpur, where he underwent a medical examination. He later surrendered at Jodhpur Central Jail at around 5 p.m.

His surrender came a day after the Rajasthan High Court delivered a decisive judgment rejecting his appeal against conviction and cancelling the interim bail that had allowed him temporary freedom. Following the court order, authorities had issued an arrest warrant, prompting swift movement from Haridwar, where Asaram was staying at the time.

After the verdict, he travelled by road from Haridwar to Delhi late Wednesday night before continuing his journey to Jodhpur. During the transit, his supporters claimed that his health deteriorated and that he received treatment at AIIMS Delhi. There were initial discussions about seeking relief on medical grounds and delaying his surrender to approach the Supreme Court. However, after legal consultations, that plan was reportedly dropped.

The Rajasthan High Court division bench of Justice Arun Monga and Justice Yogendra Kumar Purohit delivered a detailed judgment upholding the lower court’s decision to sentence Asaram to life imprisonment, meaning imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life.

The court made strong observations in its ruling, stating: “The accused’s imprisonment has walls, but the mental trauma and lifelong suffering inflicted on the victim has no walls.”

The bench also ordered the immediate cancellation of his interim bail and directed that he be taken into custody without delay. While upholding the conviction of Asaram, the court granted relief to co-accused hostel warden Shilpi and Gurukul director Sharat Chandra, acquitting them due to lack of sufficient evidence of criminal conspiracy.

The case dates back to August 2013, when allegations surfaced that a minor girl had been sexually assaulted inside a hut at Manai Ashram in Jodhpur. Following a lengthy trial, a lower court convicted Asaram in April 2018 and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

Thursday’s surrender marks a significant turning point in the long-running case, bringing renewed attention to one of the most high-profile criminal convictions involving a religious figure in recent years.

Team Maverick

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)