Today (29th February): The Punjab and Haryana High Court expressed apprehension regarding the repeated paroles granted to Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the controversial leader of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect. The court raised concerns about the potential misuse of parole provisions and emphasized the need for stringent guidelines to prevent any misuse in the future. Gurmeet Ram Rahim is serving a 20-year sentence for the rape of two of his followers, and his frequent paroles have drawn criticism and legal scrutiny.
Punjab: Today (29th February): The Punjab and Haryana High Court has expressed serious concerns regarding the frequent paroles granted to Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the convicted chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, who is serving a 20-year sentence for rape. Ram Rahim has been granted parole for the seventh time in nearly 10 months and the ninth time in the past four years, prompting scrutiny from the judiciary.
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The recent parole, lasting 50 days, was granted to Ram Rahim in January. The High Court has directed the Haryana government to ensure Ram Rahim’s surrender by March 10, the expiration date of his parole. Furthermore, the court has mandated that any future parole requests for Ram Rahim must be approved by the court itself.
In addition to addressing the case of Ram Rahim, the High Court has instructed the state government to furnish details regarding the number of individuals who have been granted parole under similar circumstances.
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Background
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, incarcerated after convictions for rape and murder, was released on a 50-day parole on Friday. This marks his third temporary release from prison in 2023, having been previously granted a 21-day furlough in November of the same year. Ram Rahim’s parole history includes a 30-day parole in July, a 40-day parole in January, and another 40-day parole in October 2022. He was also granted a month-long parole in June 2022, along with a three-week furlough in February 2022.
Ram Rahim is serving a 20-year sentence for the rape of two disciples. Additionally, he was convicted in 2021, along with four others, for conspiring to murder Ranjit Singh, a Dera manager. In 2019, Ram Rahim and three others were convicted for the murder of a journalist more than 16 years ago.
The decision to grant parole to Ram Rahim has sparked controversy, with Harjinder Singh Dhami, President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, criticizing the Haryana government’s actions. Dhami emphasized that Ram Rahim’s crimes, including rape and murder, warrant stricter incarceration measures and voiced concerns about the Sikh community’s trust in the government.
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In December of last year, the Delhi High Court responded to a suit for injunction filed by Ram Rahim against YouTuber Shyam Meera Singh, seeking the removal of a video. Similarly, on January 10, the Delhi High Court directed a journalist to remove defamatory content about Ram Rahim from social media.