Chandigarh: The controversial Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on Tuesday walked out of Sunaria jail of Haryana’s Rohtak district on a 21-day furlough. A convict in rape and murder case, he is currently lodged in Sunaria jail since 2017.
He was released on furlough - a temporary release - after the Rohtak divisional commissioner passed an order in his favour; during the furlough period, he would stay at his Baghpat ashram in Uttar Pradesh.
Pertinently, on August 9 only, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had disposed of the petition of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) which challenged the grant of temporary release to the Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, observing that a plea for temporary release be considered by the competent authority without any "arbitratiness or favourtism’’.
Dera chief’s temporary release this time comes ahead of the Haryana assembly polls due in October, raising once again questions about the timing of the furlough by the state government as the frequent paroles and furloughs granted to him have raised eyebrows in recent years.
It may be recalled that the Dera chief had moved the high court in June this year seeking directions to grant him a 21-day furlough as the high court had asked the Haryana government in February 29 not to grant further parole to him without its permission.
It may be recalled that the Dera chief was convicted by the special CBI court, Panchkula, Haryana, in rape and two murder cases – killing of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati in Sirsa and former Dera manager Ranjit Singh in a village of district Kurukshetra; In May this year, the high court had acquitted him and four others in the 2002 murder of sect’s former manager Ranjit Singh, citing “tainted and sketchy” investigations in the matter. He is serving a 20-year term for raping two of his disciples and murder of a journalist.
