SC allows Asaram to be brought to AIIMS for medical check-up

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday allowed self-styled godman Asaram Bapu to be taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi from Jodhpur jail under police custody for medical examination.

A bench of Justices A K Sikri and N V Ramana however refused the plea of 75-year-old man, who heads a sect, seeking permission to stay at his ashram in the national capital during the period of check-up.

The order came after a three-member panel of doctors from AIIMS informed the apex court that requisite equipments for evaluation of Asaram's medical condition were not there in Jodhpur jail and he needed to be brought to the institute for proper check up.

During the hearing, senior advocate Raju Ramachandran appearing for Asaram, sought bail for him and said the media should be directed not to report about the arguments in the case.

To this, the bench said, "No we cannot. Why should we gag them? What is there in this?"

On August 11, the apex court had denied interim bail to Asaram in a rape case and directed AIIMS to set up a medical board to ascertain his health condition before taking up his regular bail plea.

Asaram was arrested by Jodhpur Police on August 31, 2013 and has been in jail since then.

On August 9, the High Court had rejected the bail application of Asaram in the rape case.

A teenage girl had accused Asaram of sexual assault at his ashram in Manai village near Jodhpur. The girl belonging to Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh was a student living in the ashram.