Partial Acquittal for Asaram by Rajasthan High Court

The Rajasthan High Court acquits Asaram of some charges related to gang rape but retains his life sentence for minor rape, upholding several other convictions.

In a significant legal development, the Rajasthan High Court has given partial relief to Asaram by acquitting him of some gang rape charges. However, the court upheld his life sentence for the rape of a minor, maintaining multiple convictions under various legal provisions.

The decision was made by a division bench consisting of Justice Arun Monga and Justice Yogendra Kumar Purohit. While he has been cleared of charges under specific sections of the IPC and POCSO Act, his conviction under IPC Section 376(2)(F) remains, affirming his life imprisonment sentence.

Asaram is currently out on temporary bail, which the court extended for seven more days. The High Court also confirmed his convictions under other sections including wrongful confinement, trafficking, criminal intimidation, and sexual harassment.

Meanwhile, co-accused Sanchita Gupta and Sharat Chandra were acquitted, overturning their earlier convictions. Asaram’s conviction in April 2018 stemmed from an assault on a minor at his ashram, leading to his life imprisonment under several laws.