New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea by self-styled godman Asaram, who’s serving a life sentence in a rape case, to droop his sentence as a result of his failing well being. The court docket informed senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who represented Asaram, to hunt reduction from the Rajasthan High Court as an alternative. Rohatgi had mentioned that Asaram was able to comply with the general public prosecutor’s suggestion of getting therapy at Madhavbaug Heart Hospital in Maharashtra’s Khopoli underneath police custody.
The court docket requested Asaram to file an utility earlier than the Rajasthan High Court for permission to get therapy at Madhavbaug Heart Hospital and mentioned it will be determined as per the legislation. The court docket additionally expressed concern over Asaram’s “deliberate attempts” to stall the listening to of his enchantment in opposition to his conviction and sentence within the excessive court docket.
The court docket ordered a speedy listening to of his enchantment after Rohatgi claimed that Asaram had suffered a number of coronary heart assaults and was affected by anaemia with gastrointestinal bleeding, together with different age-related illnesses.
In his plea, filed by advocate Rajesh Gulab Inamdar, Asaram mentioned he had spent greater than 11 years and seven months in jail within the case.
“The petitioner respectfully submits that he is suffering from a number of life-threatening health problems, such as heart disease, hypothyroidism, anaemia with gastrointestinal bleeding, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and a history of diabetes, hypertension, COVID-pneumonia and urosepsis, a deadly urinary tract infection,” the plea acknowledged.
It added that Asaram had been recognized with ischemic coronary heart illness and acute coronary syndrome, which meant that his coronary heart was not getting sufficient oxygen-rich blood, and melena-black, tarry stools- as a result of fixed intestinal bleeding.
“The petitioner’s situation is extremely dangerous and fatal, where his imprisonment is deteriorating his condition with every passing moment and can lead to his horrible and agonizing death. The petitioner is afraid that he might face the same fate as Stan Swamy, who died in jail while his case was pending for hearing,” the plea mentioned.
On July 5, 2021, priest-activist Stan Swamy (84), who was arrested underneath anti-terror legislation within the Elgar Parishad case, handed away in a Mumbai hospital whereas he was combating for bail on well being grounds.
Asaram’s plea mentioned that he was in a weak and anaemic state as a result of his previous age and was suffering from deadly illnesses that have been eroding and tormenting his physique and thoughts. He didn’t suppose that he would survive the guts bypass surgical procedure.
“He has a strong case on merits and has every hope of winning his appeal, which is pending before the Rajasthan High Court at Jodhpur. However, it may not be wrong to say that given his continuous imprisonment that is destroying his body day-by-day, he may not live to see the day that he is finally cleared of all charges and his appeal is upheld and becomes final up to this court,” the plea mentioned.
Asaram’s plea mentioned that underneath these circumstances, he had nobody to hope to however God and this court docket alone, and if they didn’t come to his rescue instantly to save lots of his life, it could be too late. He would, it mentioned, be pressured to just accept probably the most extreme punishment of all identified to mankind, the demise penalty, pending enchantment.
“It is respectfully submitted that the petitioner has not been given relief for even a single day and his request for even a grant of parole has been denied by the high court inter alia because the grant of parole also will be a useless exercise,” it mentioned.
In 2018, the self-styled godman was discovered responsible by a particular POCSO court docket in Jodhpur of sexual assault, together with rape, and sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his pure life.
