Ram Rahim gets 40-day parole ahead of Haryana panchayat polls
Dera Sacha Sauda chief and self-proclaimed godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh 'Insan', who is jailed on twin rape and murder charges, was granted 40 days of parole and is set to be released as Haryana panchayat polls will be held within weeks from now. His family had submitted an application to Sunaria jail authorities in Rohtak seeking month-long parole for him.
Why does this story matter?
This is Singh's third parole this year following the ones in February and June. In February, he was granted a three-week furlough days before the Punjab elections. Accused of raping two disciples and two murders, Singh and his followers hold influence in Haryana and Punjab, and the Dera followers are known to vote according to the 'cult' leader's diktat.
Singh still has 39 days of furlough remaining this year
Convicts entitled to 90 days of parole in a year
He is expected to stay on the Dera's campus either at Sirsa, Haryana, or in Rajasthan. The Dera administration has already initiated preparations. Examining the parole application on Tuesday, Haryana Jail Minister Ranjit Singh said the decision will be taken as per the law. After completing a certain number of years in imprisonment, a convict can get parole upto 90 days in a year.
SGPC condemns granting parole
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has criticized the furlough. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami accused the BJP of trying to gain political advantage in the elections. The Haryana government has maintained that it was every prisoner's legal right. Providing Z+ category security to Singh in February, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar had said that it was based on threat perception.
