Rape convict Ram Rahim seeks another parole to attend function
What's the story
Rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim has filed a new petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a 21-day parole.
In his petition, Ram Rahim stated that he needs to attend a program organized by Dera Sacha Sauda, of which he is the chief.
His latest parole request came after he was granted a 50-day parole in January, which was his seventh parole in just 10 months.
Court notice
High court responds to Ram Rahim's parole petition
Upon receiving the petition, the high court issued notices to the Haryana government and the Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), seeking a response by July 2.
The court had previously questioned the frequent paroles granted to Ram Rahim, who is serving a 20-year sentence for raping two female followers.
It ordered that any future parole applications from Ram Rahim must first receive its approval.
Parole investigation
Court seeks information on parole patterns
The decision came after the SGPC filed a petition opposing the frequent release of the controversial preacher.
Additionally, the HC requested information on how many prisoners had been granted release in a manner similar to Ram Rahim's.
In the past four years, Ram Rahim has been granted parole nine times, with seven of them occurring within a 10-month period.
In 2023 alone, he received parole three times.
Acquitted
Ram Rahim, 4 others acquitted in 2002 murder case
Besides his rape conviction, Ram Rahim was found guilty in 2019 for the murder of a journalist over 16 years ago.
He was convicted again in 2021, along with four others, for conspiring to kill Ranjit Singh, a Dera manager, in 2002.
However, they were acquitted in the murder case in May.
Singh was suspected to have been murdered because of his alleged role in circulating a letter that narrated how women were being sexually exploited at the Dera headquarters.