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By Gopal Ram Tripathi

THE RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT has given self-styled Asaram Bapu a big relief. The court has granted him 20 days of regular parole. This is the first time he has received this type of parole since he was sent to jail. A special bench made up of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Sanjeet Purohit passed the order. The judges said the state government did not give strong enough reasons to say no to his request. Asaram, who is 85 years old, is currently kept in Jodhpur Central Jail. He is serving a life sentence in a case from 2013, where he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a minor girl who lived at his ashram.

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Asaram’s Good Behaviour Got Him The Parole By The Court 

The judges looked closely at how long Asaram had already been in prison. He has served more than 13 years behind bars, to be exact, 13 years, 1 month, and 24 days. The court also looked at his past behaviour. In earlier years, Asaram was given short-term interim bail several times. During those periods, he did not break any rules. He did not try to run away, and he did not try to scare or threaten any witnesses. He also did not cause any trouble that could affect law and order in the area.

Because of this good record, the judges felt he deserved a chance at regular parole this time. The court said Asaram's case had to be looked at using the Rajasthan Prisoners Release on Parole Rules. Under these rules, his long years in jail and clean conduct worked in his favour. The court ordered that Asaram must be released only after he gives a personal bond of ₹50,000. He also needs two people to act as guarantors, called sureties, who must each promise ₹25,000.

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Rajasthan Government Tried To Stop The Decision

The Rajasthan government tried hard to stop the parole. A committee led by the Jodhpur District Collector and District Magistrate had already turned down Asaram's plea once. The local police also opposed his release. They were worried that Asaram might run away or go into hiding if he was let out of jail.

The state also brought up a rule called Rule 14(A) from the Rajasthan Prisoners Release on Parole Rules, 1958. Officials said Asaram already faces other criminal cases outside Rajasthan. They also pointed out that he has been convicted in a separate case in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. On top of this, the government said Asaram is currently getting medical treatment. They claimed doctors have not yet declared him fit enough to go on parole. The state also said his release could put the safety of the survivor's family at risk.

However, the High Court did not accept these arguments. The judges said these worries were based on guesses, not on solid proof. The court explained that having other cases pending in different states, or having another conviction elsewhere, cannot be used as a reason to block parole in this particular case. It's worth noting that just weeks earlier, on May 27, the same High Court had upheld Asaram's conviction and his life sentence in the 2013 rape case involving the minor girl.

This ruling marks an important moment in Asaram's long legal journey. After spending over 13 years in prison, he will now get a short break outside jail walls, under strict conditions set by the court. While the state government raised several concerns about safety and his other pending cases, the High Court found no real evidence to support those fears. The case shows how courts weigh factors like a prisoner's age, health, and past behaviour when deciding on parole, even in serious and sensitive cases like this one.

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