The Gujarat High Court on Thursday granted a final one-month extension of temporary bail to self-styled godman Asaram, who is serving a life sentence in a 2013 rape case. The 86-year-old convict is currently out on bail due to medical reasons.

A division bench comprising Justices Ilesh Vora and PM Raval made it clear that this would be the last extension of his temporary bail. The extension comes after the bail originally granted on March 28 was set to expire on June 30 and had been provisionally extended till July 7.

During the latest hearing, Asaram’s lawyer urged the court to extend the bail by three more months. However, the bench declined and allowed only a one-month extension, terming it the “final” relief in the matter. A detailed order from the court is awaited.

Asaram had initially approached the High Court seeking an extension of the interim bail granted to him by the Supreme Court till March 31. The apex court had directed him to move the High Court for any further relief. A split verdict by a High Court bench earlier led to the matter being referred to a third judge, who subsequently granted a three-month bail.

Asaram is serving two life sentences in separate rape cases. In January 2023, a Gandhinagar court convicted him for raping a woman disciple from Surat multiple times between 2001 and 2006 at his ashram in Motera, Ahmedabad.

He was convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 376(2)(C) (rape), 377 (unnatural offences), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault to outrage modesty), 357 (assault), and 506 (criminal intimidation).

In a separate case, Asaram was convicted in 2018 for raping a minor girl at his Rajasthan ashram in 2013 and is also serving a life term in that matter.