Gurmeet Ram Rahim holds online 'Satsang' while being out on a 40-day parole

Sentenced to 20 years in prison for rape and murder, religious leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh hosted a virtual 'satsang' event on Wednesday, counting many politicians, including the mayor of Haryana's Karnal and several leaders of the ruling BJP, among guests.

The Dera Sacha Sauda chief, who was convicted in 2017, was granted a 40-day parole last week following an application filed by his family. He hosted the satsang from Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat. Earlier, the Dera chief had come out of prison on a month-long parole in June. Before that, he was granted three weeks' furlough in February. 

Alleging that the influential spiritual leader was granted parole to influence next month's by-election and panchayat polls in Haryana, the opposition attacked the BJP over its leaders participating in Ram Rahim's event