Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court for a 21-day furlough to conduct ‘welfare activities.’ He claims his furlough application remains pending due to a stay order from February 29.
In his HC application, Gurmeet Ram Rahim claimed to be the religious head of an institution that organizes a ‘Sewadar Shradhanjali Bhandara’ every two years in June to honor volunteers who died in service and support their families.
“It is apt to point out here that so many welfare activities are to be undertaken by DSS headed by the applicant, i.e., large-scale tree plantation, drug de-addiction, and marriages of poor girls, etc., for which the motivational drive is required to be carried out by the applicant,” his plea has submitted, seeking release on furlough.
He has requested that the application for furlough be considered and decided by the law as stipulated by the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoner (Temporary Release) Act of 2022.
It has been argued that the state has already granted parole and furlough to 89 convicts sentenced in three or more cases, including life and fixed terms. The HC’s order on April 7, 2022, stated that the Dera Chief is not considered a hardcore convicted criminal since he was not convicted in two murder cases under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 302 of IPC, but rather in other cases under the same section, the plea has submitted.
The HC has been informed that eligible convicts have the right to 70 days of parole and 21 days of furlough annually under the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act 2022.
His plea also mentioned that he has never misused the privilege of parole or furlough in the past and has always surrendered on time. Furthermore, he emphasized that he had not received any special treatment at any point.
According to the DSS chief, the appropriate authorities are currently considering a 20-day parole and a 21-day furlough. The controversial preacher, convicted of rape and murder, is presently serving his sentence in Rohtak jail.
The HC directed the state not to consider the Dera chief’s parole application without court permission in the future, pending a petition from the SGPC opposing his frequent release despite being a convict in rape and murder cases.
