Asaram, who called himself a godman, turned himself in at Jodhpur Central Jail after the Rajasthan High Court confirmed his life term for raping a child in 2013. The decision came the day after the court denied his appeal of his sentence and revoked the medically based temporary bail he had been granted. The latest development adds an important new part to one of India’s most famous crime cases involving a religious leader.
The Rajasthan High Court bench upheld the lower court’s decision that Asaram should spend the rest of his life in prison for raping a girl at his ashram in Jodhpur. It was said that the court partially helped by dropping some gang rape claims, but it upheld the major verdict and punishment for the sexual assault case.
Asaram went to Jodhpur as ordered and then turned himself into the jail officials. His long court fight and years of popularity as a spiritual leader with a following in India and around the world made his return to jail news all over the country.
Going from temporary bail to immediate surrender
Since late 2025, Asaram had been free on temporary bail to get medical care. Due to his poor health and old age, the courts had extended the relief more than once. His lawyers had said that he needed to be constantly supervised by a doctor and have emergency medical help.
But after carefully hearing the case, the Rajasthan High Court chose to uphold the life term and revoke the temporary bail. The court also told him to turn himself in right away.
According to reports, Asaram went to Jodhpur soon after the ruling. There were crowds of supporters near the airport and along some parts of his trip. He is said to have gone to his ashram and had a medical exam at AIIMS Jodhpur before giving up.
Legal experts think that the High Court’s ruling makes the charges even more serious and shows that the courts will hold people accountable when they commit sexual crimes against children.
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The Case That Shook the Country in 2013
In 2013, a girl under 18 years old said that Asaram sexually assaulted her at his ashram in Jodhpur. The accusations made a lot of people very angry and got a lot of attention from the media across the country.
Asaram was found guilty of rape and Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) crimes by a special court in Jodhpur in 2018. The hearing and investigation took a long time. He was given a life term in jail. Since then, he has stayed in jail except for short times when he was granted medical bail.
People all over India paid close attention to the case as it involved a holy leader. Over the years, the case stayed in the public eye thanks to several witnesses and court cases. The family of the victim had always called for harsh punishments, but Asaram rejected the accusations and took the case to higher courts.
The new decision from the Rajasthan High Court strengthens the sentence that was handed down by the lower court.
Some relief, but no way out of life term
It is said that the High Court confirmed the life term, but that the court did offer some comfort by dropping some charges related to gang rape and criminal plot. Some people who were also charged with the same crimes were also found not guilty.
The court said that the sentence for raping a child was still legal, even though this happened. This means that the sentence of life in jail stays the same.
Legal experts say that the decision makes a difference between the different charges while upholding the main conviction against Asaram. His lawyers will now have to read the full ruling and decide what to do next in court.
Some people think that the case could end up back in the Supreme Court if the defense decides to appeal the High Court’s decision.
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From religious fame to being convicted of a crime
Asaram built a huge network of ashrams and followers over many years. He was once seen as one of the most important spiritual leaders in the country. A lot of people came to his religious events, and his group fastly spread all over India and other countries.
But the rape claims in 2013 made a huge difference in how people saw him. When they were arrested, put on trial, and found guilty, they lost a lot of power and influence.
Now that the Rajasthan High Court has confirmed the sentence, the case is once again being talked about across the country. People in India will likely keep talking about the current decision when they talk about justice, religion impact, and crimes against women and children.
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