VIJAYAWADA: The Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal vehemently criticised the Haryana government for granting parole to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim. He is now serving jail after being convicted in rape and murder cases. “He is a rapist and murderer. The court has given him life imprisonment but the Haryana government gives him parole as per his wish,” said Maliwal and also appealed to the state government to take back his parole.
Maliwal asked questions Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar regarding Rahim’s parole such as did the court granted parole to Ram Rahim. If yes, which court? Your minister said that your government’s prison department deals with issues related to parole, was he lying? Was parole granted by the district-level officer? among others.
In August 2017 in Panchkula, a special CBI court found the self-styled godman guilty. Rahim and four other people were found guilty of planning to murder Ranjit Singh, a manager for the Dera, in 2002. Additionally, he was found guilty of killing a journalist in 2019.
On October 14, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was granted a 40-day parole and freed from the Sunaria prison in Haryana. In relation to the rape of two of his female disciples in his ashram in Sirsa, where Dera is based, Rahim is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.