In a recent report submitted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Haryana government claimed that Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim was not a “hardcore criminal’ because he was not the assailant and did not execute the killings in two murder cases for which he was convicted for. Further, the government stated that the Sirsa dera chief was only sentenced for executing a criminal conspiracy along with the co-accused for these two murders.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment – 10 years for each case that is raping 2 women in August 2017. The terms will run consecutively.
Moreover, in January 2019, he along with three others was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering a journalist named Ram Chander Chhatarpati in 2002. Again, in October 2021, he and four others were sentenced to life for murdering former dera manager Ranjit Singh in 2002.
According to the detailed report submitted to HC, the state government stated that even though it is admitted that the dera chief is a hardcore criminal, he has the right to be released on furlough as he has completed five years in jail.
The HC has asked the government to provide with record for its decision to grant Gurmeet Ram Rahim with a 21-day furlough after an independent candidate in Punjab assembly polls had moved the court against his release from the jail, a few days before the voting in the state.
The dera chief was granted a 21-day furlough by the Haryana government on February 7 and is currently staying at his Gurugram ashram. On his release, he was provided with Z-plus category security given a high-level threat to his life from “pro-Khalistan” elements.
The record placed before the HC was examined by Sunil Sangwan, jail superintendent of Sunaria jail, when Ram Rahim is currently undergoing his sentence for two rapes and two murders revealed that the process of Ram Rahim’s release began after obtaining a legal opinion from Haryana advocate general (AG).
In his opinion dated January 25, the AG said that the dera chief cannot be categorised as a “hardcore criminal” under the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act.
