The Jodhpur bench of the Rajasthan High Court has allowed self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who is serving life sentence in a rape case, to be provided with food from outside the prison in view of the prescription by an ayurvedic doctor.
"Rajasthan High Court has allowed Asaram Bapu to be provided with food from outside the jail as advised by ayurvedic doctor," his lawyer Pradeep Choudhary told reporters here.
A division bench of Justice Kumari Prabha Sharma and Justice Sandeep Mehta also directed the person responsible for supplying the food at the prison "once every day" to submit an affidavit before the Superintendent of Central Jail, Jodhpur with their details.
"After looking at the food items prescribed by the doctor, this court is duly satisfied that it would be difficult for the jail authorities to provide the same to the appellant on a regular basis. The appellant was granted a similar relief during the course of trial with reference to Clause (a), (b) and (c) of Rule 223 of the Rajasthan Prison Rules, 1951 and thus, we feel that the same indulgence can be extended to the appellant," the bench said in its order on Monday.
The court also directed Asaram to submit an undertaking to the Jail Superintendent owning all responsibility of possible adverse effect to his health by consuming privately produced food.
Asaram had moved a plea in the High Court seeking permission to procure food from a private source outside the prison in view of his old age and medical condition claiming the food being provided in the jail is not palatable to him and is likely to adversely affect his health.
Asaram Bapu was accused of raping a minor girl in his ashram in Manai area near Jodhpur on the night of August 15, 2013.
( With inputs from ANI )