"Haryana Election Campaign": Gurmeet Ram Rahim Gets 21-Day Parole (Photo @Sujanian17)
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who was convicted of raping his two disciples at his Ashram in Sirsa and has been serving 20 years jail sentence, has been released from Sunaria Jail in Haryana after getting a 21-day parole.
The parole was granted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court after dismissing a plea filed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) challenging Ram Rahim’s parole application. In February, the high court had asked the Haryana Government not to grant further parole to the Dera Sacha Sauda chief without its permission when Ram Rahim sought a 21-day furlough from the high court in June. As the Dera Sacha Sauda chief was given parole, the SGPC voiced its resentment, arguing that the rape convict’s release would threaten the sovereignty and integrity of India and disrupt public order, noting the seriousness of the offences he committed.
Read Also: No Further Parole To Rape Convict Ram Rahim Without Permission: High Court
In January, he was granted another 50-day parole after he spent 29 days following his previous parole. In 2023 alone, the rape convict has come out of jail thrice and has spent nearly three months out of prison. The frequent temporary release of the rape convict has infuriated many.
Regarding the parole, journalist Swati Chaturvedi alleged that the release was for the Haryana election campaign of the saffron party. “So much for #betibacchao. Third rate from Modi’s BJP,” Chaturvedi wrote in an X post.
Haryana election campaign of the BJP. So much for #betibacchao Third rate from Modi’s BJP https://t.co/bQP9ToLQ6x
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) August 13, 2024
Besides raping his disciples, he has several other charges too. In 2021, Ram Rahim and four others were convicted for conspiring to kill Dera manager Ranjit Singh. In 2019, he was convicted of murdering a journalist 16 years ago. It is reported that the Dera Sacha Sauda chief was released at around 6:30 am today and is expected to stay at Dera’s Baghpat ashram during this period.
Read Also: Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Gets 50 Days Parole For Seventh Time In Two Years
While granting bail, the court said that the 2022 Act governs the process of conditional temporary release for prisoners demonstrating good conduct. The divisional commissioner of police was identified as the competent authority to grant such parole. It also highlighted that any future parole applications by Ram Rahim would be strictly evaluated under the provisions of the 2022 Act, and ensure no arbitrariness or favouritism in the decision-making.
Notably, In May, the high court had acquitted the Dera Sacha Sauda chief and four others in the 2002 murder of Ranjit Singh citing insufficient evidence and sketchy’ investigations.
