It's his right, says Khattar as Dera chief walks out of jail

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh walked out of the Sunaria jail in Haryana's Rohtak on Saturday after he was granted a 40-day parole and reached Barnawa Ashram in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat accompanied by his adopted daughter Honeypreet amid tight security.

The Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) strongly objected to granting parole to Ram Rahim Singh who is serving a 20-year jail term for raping two of his disciples.

Meanwhile, reacting to the Dera chief's parole Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that its is his right and he must have got (the parole) after following all the procedures.

He further said that if the Dera chief has got parole, it must be after following all the procedures and he will not interfere with that.

"I was not aware that Ram Rahim got parole but if he has, then it must be after following all the procedures and that is his right. I will not interfere with that," said Khattar.

Haryana Jail Minister Ranjit Singh Chautala also said, "Gurmeet Ram Rahim is like every other prisoner here and he also has his fundamental rights.

"After 3-5 years, a prisoner can apply for parole and it is not in our hands, competent authority decides on the bail."

The Dera chief had got another 40-day parole three months earlier which ended on November 25.

That time also he had gone to Barnawa ashram following his release from prison on October 14.

A police official from Rohtak Saturday said Ram Rahim Singh came out of the prison in the afternoon.

"The parole has been granted for 40 days in accordance with the rules," Rohtak's Divisional Commissioner Sanjeev Verma said on Friday.

According to sources, Ram Rahim Singh is likely to attend a birth anniversary event of former Dera chief Shah Satnam Singh on January 25.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh arrived at Barnawa Ashram in a convoy of half-a-dozen vehicles.

The doors of the ashram were closed as soon as he entered it.

Circle officer of Baghpat D K Sharma said that people will not be allowed to crowd the Ashram in compliance with parole rules.

Honeypreet and family members of Ram Rahim Singh accompanied him, SHO of Binauli Police Station Saleem Ahmed told PTI.

Meanwhile, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said 'repeated' paroles were being granted to the Dera chief but 'justice was not being done with 'Bandi Singhs' (Sikh prisoners)', who he claimed, were in jails even after completion of their sentences.

"The need of the hour is to provide a healing touch to anguished Sikh hearts. Instead of doing this, the governments are bending over backwards to please a rape and murder convict," he said, adding this only 'exposes the anti-Sikh intent of governments'.

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami also objected to the grant of parole to the Dera chief.

"The dual policy of the governments towards minorities is creating an environment of mistrust among Sikhs," he said, demanding the release of Sikh prisoners.

During his previous parole, the 55-year-old Ram Rahim Singh held several online 'Satsang' sessions at the Barnawa Ashram.

Before his October parole, he had come out of prison on a month-long parole in June.

Besides, he was granted a three-week furlough from February 7, 2022, barely two weeks before the Punjab assembly polls.

In 2021, the Dera chief, along with four others, was also convicted for hatching a conspiracy to kill Ranjit Singh, a Dera manager.

The Dera chief and three others were convicted in 2019 for the murder of a journalist more than 16 years ago.

-- with ANI inputs