The chief of Dera Sacha Sauda and convicted rapist, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is set to be released on parole for the third time in nine months, marking his 15th temporary release in four years. The Election Commission approved his parole request on Monday, just days before the Haryana Assembly elections scheduled for October 5.
Despite being granted parole, Ram Rahim is prohibited from entering Haryana or participating in any election campaign activities, either in person or via social media.
On Monday it was reported Rahim had sought parole for 20 days, citing the death anniversary of his father, Maghar Singh, on October 5 – the same day as voting for the Haryana election. In his request he said he would stay in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat – less than 150 km from Haryana when released.
The Haryana unit of the Congress Party has raised alarms over rumours suggesting that Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh may be granted parole for the tenth time in two years. In a formal letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee expressed concern that Ram Rahim’s potential release could violate the Model Code of Conduct, which is in effect during the election period.
A spokesperson for the dera stated that Ram Rahim is entitled to 91 days of temporary release within a calendar year, making his request for a 20-day parole compliant with the law. “He has already availed 50 days of parole and 21 days of furlough, so he is eligible for another 20 days of parole this year. As the calendar year is nearing its end, he needs to use the remaining days, or they will expire,” the spokesperson explained.
The letter referred to reports indicating that his parole request was linked to the death anniversary of his father, Maghar Singh, coinciding with election day.
The Congress highlighted that Ram Rahim has a substantial following in Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, which could unduly influence the electoral process.
Responding to the release of Ram Rahim, the Husband of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Robert Vadra accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday of facilitating the release of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal from jail to sway the Haryana assembly elections.
Vadra alleged that the BJP permitted Ram Rahim, who has been convicted of murder and rape, to be granted parole ahead of the polls to campaign. He also claimed that Kejriwal’s recent release on regular bail was part of a broader BJP strategy to undermine Congress’s prospects in Haryana.
Who is Ram Rahim?
The religious leader, Ram Rahim is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted by a CBI court in 2017 for raping two disciples. He has also been convicted in two murder cases and will serve life sentences for those crimes after completing his current term.
In January 2019, Ram Rahim and three others were found guilty of murdering a journalist over 16 years ago. Additionally, in October 2021, he and four others were convicted for conspiring to kill Ranjit Singh, a manager at the dera.
Since his conviction, Ram Rahim has spent a total of 255 days outside of prison.
