The Punjab and Haryana High Court in the case Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee v. State of Haryana and others observed and has directed self-styled Godman Ram Rahim to surrender on March 10, the day on which his present parole is ending and has asked the Haryana Government to not consider his case for grant of further parole without the permission of the High Court.
The Division bench comprising of Acting Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji in the case observed and has stated that, this court like the State of Haryana to furnish an affidavit as to how many persons having such criminal antecedents and sentenced in three cases have been granted this benefit.
The court stated that, let a necessary affidavit be filed before the next date of hearing. In the meantime, the said respondent, Ram Rahim may surrender on the date fixed on March 10, 2024 and thus, the State authorities shall not consider his case for grant or further parole till further orders without the permission of this Court.
In the present case, the court was hearing the petition filed by Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee in 2023 challenging the parole granted to Ram Rahim, who was being convicted by the Special Judge, CBI, Panchkula in 2017 under Section 376 and Section 506 of the Indian Penal Code and is being sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of ten years for committing offences on two women.
The court also convicted Ram Rahim and has sentenced to undergo life imprisonment in another FIR registered under Section 120-B read with Section 302 of the Indian penal Code in 2019 by the Special Judge, CBI, Panchkula. The court observed that in another case, Ram Rahim was convicted and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life in another FIR registered under Section 120-B read with Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code in 2021 by the Special Judge, CBI, Panchkula.
The court observed that, ‘Apparently’, now that he is ‘undergoing imprisonment for the conviction awarded in the first case.’
The court while perusing the record of parole granted to Ram Rahim furnished by Haryana Government observed that the same makes interesting reading keeping in view the background and the antecedents of respondent No.9. i.e., Ram Rahim who has conviction in three cases against him has been released for 91 days each in the years 2022 and 2023. Further, the court noted that in spite of the pendency of the present petition in which notice of motion was issued on January 29, 2023, the State Haryana has still chosen to grant him indulgence of parole again on 20.07.2023, 21.11.2023 and 19.01.2024 for a period of 30, 21 and 50 days.
Therefore, the said respondent is also on parole unto 10.03.2024.”
The court while considering the facts and circumstances of the case observed and has directed the Haryana Government ‘to file necessary custody certificate to the effect that the said respondent has surrendered on the date fixed.’
Accordingly, the court listed the matter for further consideration on March 11, 2024.
The counsel, Puran Singh Hundal, Senior Advocate with Advocates Vikramjeet Singh Gursahib Singh Hundal, Ankush Chauhan appeared for the petitioner.
The counsel, Pawan Girdhar, Addl. Advocate General, Haryana. The counsel, Salil Sabhlok, Sr. Deputy Advocate General, Punjab. Dheeraj Jain, Senior Panel Counsel represented respondent-UOI.
The counsel, Sonia Mathur, Senior Advocate with Advocates Amit Tiwari, Jitender Khurana, and Divik Mathur, Advocate represented the respondent No.9 (Ram Rahim).