Disciple Rape Case: Gujarat High Court Admits Self-Styled Godman Asaram's Appeal Against Conviction

The Gujarat High Court on Thursday admitted an appeal moved by Self Styled Godman Asaram challenging his conviction and sentence of life imprisonment awarded by a local court in a two-decade-old rape case.

It may be recalled that in January this year, the Gandhinagar Court had found him guilty of committing offences under sections 376, 377, 342, 354, 357, and 506 of IPC for repeatedly raping a disciple in his Ahmedabad-based Ashram between 2001 to 2007.

The Court also imposed a fine of Rs. 10K upon him. An additional Rs. 50K had been directed to be paid to the victim as compensation.

It was in the year 2013, when a girl from Gujarat's Surat district, who was a devotee of Asaram, had alleged that she was repeatedly raped by him in 2001 in his Ahmedabad-based ashram.

Challenging his conviction, he moved to the High Court. Hearing his appeal on Thursday, the bench of Justice SH Vora and Justice Mauna M. Bhatt admitted the appeal for a final hearing.

Asaram is presently serving a life sentence in Jodhpur’s Central Jail in connection with a separate rape case, in which he was convicted in the year 2018. He was presented before the Gandhinagar court via video conferencing mode. He was arrested by Rajasthan Police in the year 2013 and he has been in jail since then.

Case title - ASHUMAL @ ASHARAM S/O THAUMAL SINDHI (HARPALANI) vs. STATE OF GUJARAT

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