The Jodhpur bench of the Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday upheld the life imprisonment sentence given to Asaram in a case related to the sexual assault of a minor student. The court, however, acquitted co-accused Shilpi and Sharatchand.
Asaram, who is currently out on interim medical bail, has now been directed to surrender before authorities.
The judgment was delivered by a division bench of Justice Arun Monga and Justice Yogendra Kumar Purohit.
Asaram was arrested in August 2013 after allegations that he sexually assaulted a minor student at his Jodhpur ashram. Following a lengthy trial, a Special POCSO Court in Jodhpur convicted him on April 25, 2018, and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
The High Court heard the appeal on a day-to-day basis from February 16 to April 20, 2026. After completing arguments, the bench reserved its verdict on April 20 and delivered the judgment on May 27.
During the hearings, Asaram’s lawyers claimed the case was fabricated and pointed to alleged inconsistencies in the statements of the victim’s parents. The defence also argued that there were no call records showing communication between Asaram and the victim on the night of the incident. The lawyers further argued that since some co-accused had been acquitted based on the same evidence, Asaram should also receive similar relief.
The prosecution and the victim’s lawyer, P.C. Solanki, opposed the appeal, saying that under the POCSO Act, the victim’s testimony alone can be sufficient for conviction, a principle that has been repeatedly upheld by the Supreme Court.
They also argued that attacks on and killings of witnesses during the case indicated attempts to destroy evidence and influence the investigation.
Asaram is already serving another life sentence in a separate sexual assault case involving a woman devotee at his Gandhinagar ashram in Gujarat. He was convicted in that case in January 2023.
The 86-year-old had repeatedly sought bail citing old age and poor health. Following Supreme Court directions, the High Court had granted him interim medical bail, which was extended several times. With the latest verdict, he must now surrender before authorities.