CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday instructed the Haryana government to refrain from granting further parole to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh without obtaining the court’s permission. This decision came during the hearing of a petition filed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee challenging the parole granted to Singh.
The court ordered Singh to surrender on March 10 and directed the state authorities not to consider his case for further parole without the court’s permission. Additionally, the court requested the state government to provide details on the number of individuals with similar criminal antecedents who have been granted parole.
“We would like Haryana to furnish an affidavit as to how many persons having such criminal antecedents and sentenced in three cases have been granted this benefit. Let a necessary affidavit be filed before the next date of hearing,” said the court.
Singh had been granted a 50-day parole on January 19, following his release on November 21 from Sunaria jail in Rohtak. He is serving a 20-year jail term for raping two of his disciples and was also convicted in other cases, including conspiracy to murder and involvement in the killing of a journalist.
The HC highlighted the frequency of parole granted to Singh despite the ongoing petition, expressing concern over the matter. It noted his previous paroles and furloughs, including those in 2022 and 2023, and emphasised the need for stricter scrutiny in granting such benefits to individuals with criminal records.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for March 11, and the court expects the government to submit the necessary affidavits regarding the matter by then.
Granted release for 91 days each in ’22 & ’23
On the temporary release granted to the Dera chief, the HC said, “The circumstances surrounding respondent No. 9’s temporary release are noteworthy, given his background and previous convictions in three cases. Singh told to surrender on March 10.