Kriti Agrawal –
The Rajasthan government has opposed convicted Godman Asaram Bapu’s bail petition before the Supreme Court, claiming that he wants to relocate the location of his custody in order to seek medical treatment.
The State has claimed in its counter-affidavit filed before the Supreme Court that Bapu, who had previously sought bail for allopathic treatment of his infirmities, has now asked to be treated at an Ayurveda centre simply since his previous set of petitions were unsuccessful.
The document adds that Bapu has made a third attempt to get his sentence suspended under the guise of medical treatment, citing two earlier instances where he filed bail application before the Supreme Court.
Bapu was reviewed by a group of seven specialists in 2016, who determined that he did not require surgery.
It is further said that a clinical summary given by MM Hospital in Jodhpur on February 17, 2021, indicated coronary angiography, which he refused.
The affidavit quotes, “It is crucial to note that the clinical summary does not describe any health concern that requires immediate attention.”
The State of Rajasthan has also stated that the discharge record provided by AIIMS Jodhpur on 21 May, 2021 shows that Bapu was not cooperative and refused to take injections and oral medications.
The State has promised to cure Bapu in Jodhpur because Jodhpur is one of the rare sites where superior treatments in both allopathy and Ayurveda are available.
The Supreme Court had previously served notice in Bapu’s case, which was appealing a Rajasthan High Court judgment that denied his appeal for a temporary stay of execution to seek Ayurvedic medical treatment.
On May 21, the High Court dismissed the plea and asked the district and jail authorities to ensure that he receives proper medical treatment at a suitable medical facility.