Ram Rahim To Stay In UP's Dera After Getting 50-Day Parole, 9th Time In 4 Years

New Delhi: Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the rape and murder convict and the chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, was given a 50-day parole on Friday by the Haryana government, the ninth time he has been released from jail in four years. The parole was given on the basis of his “good conduct” in jail and his “contribution to social welfare activities”. He will be staying in his sect’s Dera in Bagphat in Uttar Pradesh, where he commands a huge following.

He was last out of jail in November 2023 for 21 days. He got parole three times last year. So far, he has been out of jail for 184 days on parole and furlough. He has been in Sunaria jail since August 2017 after being found guilty of raping two women and murdering a journalist.

He was given 20 years in jail in August 2017 for raping two of his followers. In January 2019, a special CBI court in Panchkula also awarded him and three others life imprisonment for killing journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, who had exposed his crimes, 16 years ago.

His conviction on August 25, 2017, had triggered violence in Panchkula and Sirsa, resulting in 41 deaths and over 260 injuries. The parole granted to Ram Rahim has sparked outrage among the victims and their families, who have accused the Haryana government of being “lenient” on the self-styled godman.

They have also challenged the logic behind granting parole to a convict who has committed heinous crimes and has shown no repentance. The parole has also raised concerns over the security situation in UP, where Ram Rahim’s followers may resort to unlawful activities to support him.

The Haryana government has justified its decision, saying that it has followed the jail manual and the Supreme Court guidelines while granting parole to Ram Rahim. It has also claimed that Ram Rahim has been behaving well in jail and has been involved in various social welfare activities such as teaching yoga, meditation, and organic farming to other inmates.

The government has also said that it has taken adequate measures to ensure law and order in the state and has deployed additional forces in sensitive areas.