The Punjab and Haryana High Court has raised significant concerns regarding the repeated paroles granted to Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for rape. The court's scrutiny comes after Ram Rahim was given his seventh parole in almost 10 months and ninth in the last four years.
In its directive to the Haryana government, the high court has ordered the state to ensure Ram Rahim's surrender on March 10, the day his current parole is set to conclude. Additionally, the court has mandated the government to seek permission for any future parole requests for Ram Rahim.
The court's action stems from a petition filed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which also prompted the court to demand information on the number of individuals granted parole in a similar manner.
Ram Rahim's paroles have been primarily for attending events related to former Dera chief Shah Satnam's birth anniversary. Notably, he has spent a total of 91 days out of jail on three occasions, including 21 days in November, 30 days in July, and 40 days in January.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's conviction dates back to August 2017 when he was found guilty of raping two women by a special CBI court in Haryana's Panchkula. Concerns have been raised over the timing of his paroles, often coinciding with state elections or local body polls. In February 2022, just ahead of the Punjab Assembly election, Ram Rahim was granted a 21-day parole, which was later challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Similarly, in June 2022, he was released for 30 days during the Haryana Municipal elections, followed by another 40-day furlough before a by-election to Haryana's Adampur seat in October of the same year.