Dera Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Granted 21-Day Furlough Amid Controversy: 8th Release Since Conviction
High Court Rejects SGPC's Challenge to Repeated Releases as Dera Leader's Furlough Coincides with Haryana Election Preparations
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim has come out of jail once again. This time Ram Rahim has got furlough at a time when his repeated parole was challenged in the High Court. Statistics show that he has got furlough 8 times on different occasions. The Dera Chief is accused of raping two sadhvis.
Ram Rahim has got 21 days furlough from Tuesday. He came out of jail at 6.30 am. Media reports are quoting sources that he will stay in his Dera Ashram located in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh. Apart from Punjab and Haryana, the Dera Chief has a large number of supporters in Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
A petition was filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, challenging the repeated furlough given to Ram Rahim. The petition was filed on behalf of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). However, the High Court rejected the petition. Earlier on February 29, the High Court had directed the Haryana government not to grant parole to the Dera chief without its permission.
The Dera chief has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping nuns. He was sentenced in 2017. The special thing is that the Dera chief is coming out of jail at a time when preparations for the assembly elections are going on in Haryana.