Out on parole, Asaram fails to return to Jodhpur jail on time; action initiated

Jodhpur: A fresh legal trouble awaited Asaram in Jodhpur after he reported to the Central Jail nearly 17 hours after the deadline set for his return from medical parole.

The Ratanada police registered a case against the convicted godman under the Prisons Act on Tuesday night for failing to surrender within the stipulated time, even as the jail authorities refused to admit him due to the late hour.

Asaram, who is serving a sentence in a rape case involving a minor girl, finally surrendered at Jodhpur Central Jail around 10 am on Wednesday after spending the night at Arogyam Hospital in Bhagat Ki Kothi.


The 20-day parole granted to him by the Rajasthan High Court on October 6 ended on October 27. He was required to return to prison by 5 pm on Tuesday. However, despite the deadline, Asaram arrived in Jodhpur by air ambulance from Ujjain only around 10 pm and reached the Central Jail at approximately 10.45 pm.

The jail administration declined to take him inside, citing rules that prohibit the admission of prisoners during night hours. He was subsequently taken to the private hospital, where he stayed overnight before returning to the prison on Wednesday morning.

The delay came after the Supreme Court rejected his plea for an extension of parole on medical grounds on Tuesday. Asaram had approached the apex court seeking additional time, citing his health condition. He had been undergoing treatment at a hospital in Ujjain before being flown back to Jodhpur.

Following his late arrival at the prison, a jail guard submitted a report to the police, prompting the registration of the case.

Assistant Sub-Inspector Bhawani Singh, who is investigating the matter, confirmed that the FIR had been registered under Section 58(B) of the Prisons Act.

Asaram's surrender on Wednesday brought an end to his brief period outside prison, but the alleged violation of the stipulated return deadline has now led to separate legal proceedings against him.