Ahead of Haryana polls, Ram Rahim granted 15th parole
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the chief of Dera Sacha Sauda and a convicted rapist, is all set to walk out of Sunaria jail in Rohtak on parole. The Election Commission of India (ECI) gave the green light for this on Monday. This will be his third temporary release in just nine months and the 15th since he was convicted four years ago for raping two of his female followers.
Parole restrictions and government's stance on release
While he's out on parole, Singh won't be allowed to step foot in Haryana or get involved in any election-related stuff. The Haryana government is likely to issue his release order soon, under the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 2022. This very act has been used before to grant him paroles and furloughs that lined up with different elections.
Dera chief's political influence and legal controversies
Singh, who says he has millions of followers in Punjab and Haryana, has set up a political wing within the Sirsa-based Dera. This group has previously backed parties like the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) raised concerns about his frequent releases, but their plea was turned down by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Haryana government's assurance on parole applications
The Haryana government told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that 89 convicts have been granted parole or furlough under the same provisions as Singh. Only two were denied due to their failure to meet required conduct standards. On August 11, restrictions on granting parole and furlough to Singh were lifted by the court, allowing him up to 70 days of parole and 21 days of furlough under the 2022 Act.
