Asaram booked for missing Jodhpur jail deadline after medical parole lapse
Synopsis
Convicted rapist and self-styled godman Asaram, already serving life imprisonment, now faces a fresh criminal case after arriving at Jodhpur Central Jail nearly six hours past his medical parole deadline — despite the Supreme Court having rejected his plea for an extension just days earlier.
Key Takeaways
Asaram was booked by Jodhpur's Ratanada police on 27 October under Section 58B of the Prisons Act for missing his jail surrender deadline.
He was required to surrender at Jodhpur Central Jail by 5 p.m. but arrived by air ambulance from Indore only at 10:40 p.m. — nearly six hours late.
The Supreme Court had rejected his plea for a parole extension and directed him to return by the prescribed deadline.
Asaram had been granted 20 days of medical parole by the Rajasthan High Court starting 6 October ; the parole expired on 26 October .
He was convicted by a special POCSO court in Jodhpur on 25 April 2018 and sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a minor girl.
On 27 May 2026 , the Rajasthan High Court upheld his life sentence; the latest case relates specifically to the parole deadline violation.
Self-styled godman Asaram, currently serving a life sentence for the rape of a minor girl at his Jodhpur ashram, faces fresh legal trouble after Jodhpur's Ratanada police registered a case against him for failing to surrender at Jodhpur Central Jail within the stipulated time following the expiry of his 20-day medical parole.
What Happened
According to police, Asaram was required to surrender at Jodhpur Central Jail by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, 28 October 2026. However, he arrived in Jodhpur by air ambulance from Indore only at around 10:40 p.m. — nearly six hours past the deadline. The case was registered on 27 October under Section 58B of the Prisons Act, based on a complaint filed by jail guard Banwarilal. Assistant Sub-Inspector Bhawani Singh has been assigned to investigate the matter.
The Medical Parole Timeline
Asaram had been granted 20 days of medical parole by the Rajasthan High Court on 6 October, with his parole period ending on 26 October. He had reportedly been receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Ujjain. His legal team subsequently approached the Supreme Court seeking an extension of the parole, but the apex court rejected the request and directed him to return to Jodhpur Central Jail by the prescribed deadline. He was then transported to Jodhpur by air ambulance late on Tuesday night.
Admission Denied, Hospitalised Elsewhere
Since Asaram arrived at the prison late at night, jail authorities declined to admit him. He was instead taken to a hospital in the Bhagat Ki Kothi area of Jodhpur, with officials stating he was expected to be brought back to jail on Wednesday.
Background: Conviction and Legal Proceedings
Asaram was arrested in August 2013 in connection with the rape of a minor girl at his Jodhpur ashram. On 25 April 2018, a special POCSO court in Jodhpur convicted him and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Over the years, he pursued multiple legal proceedings seeking relief on medical grounds.
In October 2025, the Rajasthan High Court granted him six months of interim medical bail, followed by a similar order from the Gujarat High Court in November 2025. The Supreme Court subsequently declined to cancel the bail granted by the High Courts. On 27 May 2026, the Rajasthan High Court upheld his life sentence. The most recent medical parole — the one now at the centre of fresh legal proceedings — began on 6 October.
What Comes Next
The Ratanada police are now investigating the delayed return, and the case under Section 58B of the Prisons Act adds to Asaram's already lengthy legal record. Critics argue the repeated medical paroles and bail orders have enabled prolonged avoidance of custody. The investigation's outcome could influence how courts approach future parole applications in high-profile cases involving convicts serving life sentences.
Point of View
After the Supreme Court itself had rejected his extension plea — raises uncomfortable questions about the enforcement architecture around high-profile convicts on medical parole. The pattern here is not incidental: multiple bail and parole grants since 2025, apex court intervention required to enforce a return, and yet the convict still misses the deadline. Section 58B proceedings are a start, but the broader question is whether the medical parole framework, as currently applied, is functioning as a genuine medical relief mechanism or as a procedural off-ramp. Courts and prison authorities may need to revisit compliance protocols, particularly in life-sentence cases where the conviction has already been upheld on appeal.
NationPress
28 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Asaram booked by Jodhpur's Ratanada police?
Asaram was booked under Section 58B of the Prisons Act for failing to surrender at Jodhpur Central Jail by the 5 p.m. deadline on 28 October after his 20-day medical parole expired. He arrived by air ambulance nearly six hours late, at around 10:40 p.m.
What had the Supreme Court ruled on Asaram's parole extension request?
The Supreme Court rejected Asaram's plea for an extension of his medical parole and directed him to return to Jodhpur Central Jail by the prescribed deadline. Despite the order, he arrived several hours past the stipulated time.
What is Asaram's underlying conviction?
Asaram was convicted by a special POCSO court in Jodhpur on 25 April 2018 for the rape of a minor girl at his Jodhpur ashram and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Rajasthan High Court upheld the life sentence on 27 May 2026.
What medical parole had Asaram been granted before this incident?
The Rajasthan High Court granted Asaram 20 days of medical parole beginning 6 October, which expired on 26 October. He had been undergoing treatment at a hospital in Ujjain during this period before being transported back to Jodhpur by air ambulance.
What happens now that Asaram has been booked under the Prisons Act?
Assistant Sub-Inspector Bhawani Singh of Ratanada police has been assigned to investigate the case. Asaram was hospitalised in the Bhagat Ki Kothi area of Jodhpur after jail authorities declined to admit him late at night, and he was expected to be returned to custody on Wednesday.
