Surat Case Supplementary Affidavit.

The Gujarat High Court is currently adjudicating the criminal appeal filed by Asaram Bapu against his conviction and life imprisonment sentence awarded by a Gandhinagar sessions court in January 2023. The conviction pertains to the 2013 complaint filed by a former female disciple from Surat, who accused Asaram of raping her repeatedly at his Motera ashram between 2001 and 2006. The appeal has seen the submission of several supplementary affidavits by both the defense and prosecution.

The defense team, led by advocates Rajesh Inamdar and Shashwat Anand, filed a detailed supplementary affidavit containing recent medical records from private cardiac care units. The affidavit cited severe coronary artery blockages and age-related complications, arguing that the 85-year-old convict required specialized medical care outside of the prison hospital. They petitioned the court for a temporary suspension of his sentence on humanitarian grounds.

In response, the state prosecution filed a counter-supplementary affidavit opposing any release. The state's filing highlighted that the medical facilities at Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad and the prison ward at the civil hospital are fully equipped to address all cardiac and geriatric care requirements. The prosecution also raised concerns that temporary release could lead to law-and-order disturbances due to his follower base.

To address the court's concerns regarding the safety of witnesses and the potential misuse of liberty, the defense submitted a supplementary undertaking via affidavit. In this document, Asaram committed to strict conditions if granted temporary release, including a complete ban on holding public congregations, delivering virtual or physical sermons, and interacting with his disciples. The High Court has carefully monitored these submissions to evaluate whether his health conditions warrant a temporary suspension of sentence under strict judicial oversight.

The appellate proceedings in the Gujarat High Court must align with developments in other jurisdictions, particularly the Rajasthan High Court, which recently upheld his life sentence in the Jodhpur minor rape case on May 27, 2026, and ordered his immediate return to custody. Since Asaram is currently incarcerated in Jodhpur Central Jail to serve that sentence, any potential relief in the Gujarat case remains subject to his custody status in Rajasthan.

The Gujarat High Court continues to hear the merits of the Gandhinagar appeal as the legal teams navigate these overlapping sentences. The prosecution has urged the court to expedite the final hearing of the appeal rather than entertaining repeated medical bail applications, arguing that the conviction was based on solid oral and documentary evidence of custodial abuse.

This update examines the legal maneuvering surrounding the Gandhinagar conviction appeal. It documents the arguments presented in the supplementary affidavits, illustrating the intersection of geriatric care claims and witness protection concerns in the Indian appellate process.

The final resolution of the Gujarat appeal will have significant implications for the survivor, who has waited over a decade for a final, non-appealable judgment. This dossier preserves the procedural updates and filings, providing a clear reference for researchers and the public.