THE NEWS FREEDOM
CHANDIGARH, FEBRUARY 29
In response to the recurring parole granted to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, convicted in two murder cases and a rape case involving two Sadhvis, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday directed the Haryana government not to grant further parole to Dera chief without its permission. While hearing a petition filed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee(SGPC), the High Court asked the state government to furnish details on how many people having “such criminal antecedent” have been granted parole. “We would like the State of 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 a bench of the High Court comprising Acting Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji court.
The High Court also said that in the meantime, the said respondent may surrender on the date fixed March 10 and thereafter the state authorities shall not consider his case for grant of further parole till further orders without the permission of this court. The state of Haryana shall also file the necessary custody certificate to the effect that the said respondent has surrendered on the date fixed, according to the order, the High Court further said.
The Dera chief was convicted in the murder cases of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati and former Dera manager Ranjit Singh, as well as the rape of two Sadhvis (female disciples) residing within the Dera premises.