MADHUSUDHAN SHARMA.

▮ Identity sealed · POCSO §23

Judge, Special Judge, SC/ST Court, Jodhpur

Jodhpur, Rajasthan

“Madhusudhan Sharma is the Special Judge of the SC/ST Court in Jodhpur who presided over the historic POCSO trial of Asaram Bapu, delivering the life imprisonment verdict in April 2018. Sharma conducted the high-stakes trial inside the secure premises of Jodhpur Central Jail to prevent security breaches and maintain judicial independence despite severe pressure.”

Madhusudhan Sharma is a senior judicial officer who served as the Special Judge for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Court in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. In 2016, he took over the trial of Asaram Bapu, who was charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Indian Penal Code, and the SC/ST Act for the sexual assault of a minor girl at his Manai ashram in August 2013. The trial had already been delayed by numerous defense applications and witness intimidation, placing enormous pressure on the presiding judge.

Due to the highly volatile security situation in Jodhpur, where thousands of Asaram's followers regularly gathered to disrupt proceedings, block roads, and threaten the prosecution, Judge Sharma made the crucial decision to conduct the trial and deliver the final verdict inside the high-security Jodhpur Central Jail. This unusual measure was taken to protect the court staff, witnesses, and the public from potential riots. Over the final years of the trial, Sharma ensured strict adherence to criminal procedure, giving the defense ample opportunity to present their case while preventing unnecessary delays.

On April 25, 2018, Judge Sharma delivered a landmark 453-page judgment. He convicted Asaram Bapu of rape, criminal conspiracy, and illegal confinement, sentencing him to life imprisonment until death. The judge also convicted co-accused aides Shilpi and Sharad, while acquitting two other associates due to a lack of direct evidence. In his detailed ruling, Sharma rejected multiple character-assassination arguments raised by the defense against the minor victim and dismissed support letters written by political figures, emphasizing that the rule of law must apply equally to spiritual leaders.

Following the high-profile verdict, the Rajasthan government heightened security for Judge Sharma and his family. Shortly after completing the trial, Sharma was transferred to the state's Law Department in Jaipur as part of a routine administrative reshuffle. His handling of the trial inside the prison premises was widely praised by legal scholars and the media as an exemplary display of judicial fortitude under extreme external pressure.