India, Aug. 4 -- The Rajasthan High Court has granted 20-day parole to self-styled "godman" Asaram Bapu, who is serving a life sentence in a 2013 case of sexually assaulting a minor. The court said the state government failed to justify its decision to reject his parole application.

A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Sanjeet Purohit granted relief to the 85-year-old Asaram, who is lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail, taking note of the duration of his incarceration and his conduct during earlier periods of interim release.

It observed that Asaram has already undergone imprisonment for 13 years, one month and 24 days. It noted that he had previously been granted interim bail on several occasions and the...