Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court has extended the interim bail of self-styled godman Asaram Bapu by one month in the rape case involving a Surat woman. This decision came after a detailed hearing lasting over 90 minutes on Asaram’s plea to further extend his bail. The court, however, made it clear that this would be the final extension. Asaram had sought a three-month extension citing medical reasons.

Earlier, on June 27, the court had extended his interim bail until July 7. His legal team submitted a certificate from the National Legal Services Authority stating that Asaram is elderly and suffering from health issues. The High Court had previously also granted temporary bail to his son, Narayan Sai, allowing him to visit Asaram in Jodhpur for five days.

Asaram was convicted by a Gandhinagar court in 2023 and sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a woman from Surat. The incident reportedly took place between 1997 and 2006 at Asaram’s Motera ashram in Ahmedabad. The survivor had filed a complaint in 2013, which was later transferred to Gandhinagar, where the trial was conducted. DeshGujarat