Don’t consider Ram Rahim’s parole without permission, HC tells Haryana

Chandigarh, Feb 29 (IANS) The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday asked Haryana not to consider Dera Sacha Sauda chief and self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s parole without its permission.

The direction would remain in force till further orders.

A Bench of acting Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji observed that Ram Rahim was released for 91 days each in 2022 and 2023, and observed that it made “interesting reading” keeping in view the background and the antecedents of Ram Rahim who was convicted in three cases.

“It is also to be noticed that in spite of the pendency of the present petition in which notice of motion was issued on January 29, 2023, the State of Haryana has still chosen to grant him indulgence of parole again on July 20, 2023, November 21, 2023, and January 19, 2014 for a period of 30, 21, and 50 days,” the bench observed.

The court’s intervention came on a petition filed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) challenging the order granting temporary release. The bench further asked Haryana to furnish an affidavit on the grant of the benefit to number of persons “having such criminal antecedents and sentenced in three cases”.