SIDDHARTH LUTHRA.

▮ Identity sealed · POCSO §23

Defense lawyer, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India

New Delhi, Delhi

“Siddharth Luthra is a senior advocate and former Additional Solicitor General of India who represented Asaram Bapu in bail hearings in the Supreme Court. Luthra argued on procedural grounds, challenging the validity of the prosecution's detention requests.”

Siddharth Luthra is a prominent Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court of India who served as the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) of India from 2012 to 2014. Educated at Delhi University and Cambridge, Luthra is recognized as one of the country's leading experts in criminal law and human rights, having represented both the state and private individuals in major trials. In 2014, Asaram Bapu's defense trust retained Luthra to present their appeals in the Supreme Court.

Luthra's arguments on behalf of Asaram Bapu focused primarily on constitutional and procedural issues. He challenged the Jodhpur Police's use of transit remand and argued that the conditions under which Asaram was being held violated standard judicial guidelines. Luthra also raised concerns regarding Asaram's age and health, suggesting that he could be placed under house arrest or granted temporary bail under strict monitoring. The Supreme Court, however, dismissed the applications, pointing to the risk of witness tampering.

His involvement in the case was strictly professional, representing a high-profile client in the higher courts. Luthra has consistently advocated for legal reforms to ensure fair trial rights and has written extensively on criminal procedure. His participation in the Asaram hearings is recorded in the Supreme Court's decisions, illustrating the extensive legal resources that the godman's trust deployed during the trial.

Luthra continues to practice law in New Delhi, representing clients in major corporate, criminal, and constitutional disputes. He remains an active member of the legal academic community, lecturing at various law schools. His arguments in the Asaram case are cited in legal discussions regarding the rights of elderly convicts and the boundaries of judicial custody.