Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim granted parole, likely to be released from Sunaria jail soon

Sunit Dhawan

Rohtak, January 20

Less than two months after the completion of his 40-day parole, rape-and-murder convict and Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been granted another parole.

Rohtak Divisional Commissioner Sanjeev Verma confirmed to The Tribune that he had granted parole to the dera head lodged in Sunaria jail. “He has been granted parole as per the rules,” said Verma.

The dera head is likely to be released from Sunaria prison in Rohtak district soon.

Rohtak Superintendent of Police (SP) Udai Singh Meena, however, maintained that they had no information regarding the matter as of now.

The dera chief is undergoing imprisonment for the rape of two of his women disciples and murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati.

Sources maintain that the rape-and-murder covict dera head had applied for the grant of a 40-day parole to attend the birth anniversary of a former dera chief Shah Satnam Singh, which falls on January 25.

The grant of parole to the dera head has raised eyebrows, especially as he was granted a 40-day parole, 21-day furlough and one-month regular parole last year as well.

As per The Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 2022, which was notified on April 11, 2022, the convicted prisoners can be granted a regular parole for 10 weeks in a calendar year, which may be availed in two parts.

However, most of the prisoners are not granted parole so smoothly and frequently, even though the courts and other authorities concerned are flooded with requests for grant of parole to them.