Dera chief and rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim set to come out of jail on parole for 15th time in 4 years

Dera Sacha Sauda chief and rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is set to come out of jail on parole for the 15th time in the last four years.

The Election Commission of India on Monday approved Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s bail application.

Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal said the Haryana government may consider parole of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh subject to the correctness of the facts mentioned in his bail application and compliance with other conditions regarding the model code of conduct for elections.

“As the MCC is in place for the elections, that is why it (the bail application) has come to us to know our views… We responded to the state government, saying that it could consider parole subject to the correctness of the facts, as mentioned in the letter (plea),” he said. “In addition, other conditions, taking into account the elections, would have to be fulfilled (if parole is granted by the government).”

With the EC’s approval, the Haryana government is expected to issue a release order soon.

The imminent release of the Dera chief is expected before the Haryana Assembly elections on October 5. He holds considerable influence in Haryana and Punjab.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim had requested a 20-day conditional release. He had sought to stay in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, during the parole period.

With the model code of conduct in place, his application for parole was sent to the electoral department which asked the prison service to specify the “urgent and compelling” reasons behind the application which justify the parole of the convicts during the elections , according to a report. by news agency PTI citing sources.

The Dera chief’s previous bails and parolees had taken place alongside various elections, be it municipal or state assembly elections.

In February 2022, he was granted three weeks’ leave ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections.

During the parole period, Gurmeet Ram Rahim will face restrictions, including being barred from entering Haryana and participating in any poll-related activities, in person or via social media. Gurmeet Ram Rahim, convicted in 2017, is serving a 20-year prison sentence for raping two of his disciples.

In May, the High Court acquitted him and four others of the 2002 murder of the cult’s former director, Ranjit Singh, citing “flawed and sketchy” investigations into the case.