The Gujarat High Court on Friday delivered a split verdict on the interim bail plea filed by godman Asaram Bapu, who is currently serving a life sentence in a 2013 rape case [Ashumal @ Asharam Thaumal Sindhi v. State of Gujarat]..A bench of Justices Ilesh J Vora and Sandeep N Bhatt observed,"We have differed on this aspect. I'm in mood to allow for three months. My brother (Justice Bhatt) is dissenting...so within 10-15 minutes we will sign the order and upload it, accordingly it will be placed before the Chief Justice for referring to third judge.""Then I will request the Chief Justice about the same...time is of essence here," the counsel appearing for Asaram said..The High Court had reserved its verdict on March 25..In January 2023, a sessions court in Gandhinagar convicted Asaram Bapu under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in a 2013 rape case, for the repeated rape of a female disciple at a Surat ashram.An appeal against this trial court verdict is pending before the Gujarat High Court.In the meanwhile, Asaram moved a plea before the High Court seeking his interim release from jail. In August this year, the High Court had refused to suspend his life imprisonment sentence. The High Court reasoned that there was no exceptional ground made out to allow Asaram's interim release from jail while his appeal against conviction remains pending.This led Asaram to file an appeal before the apex court.The Supreme Court in January this year had granted interim bail to Asaram until March 31 on medical grounds.
