Frequent parole to dera chief may create law, order problems: Punjab

The affidavit filed by Punjab govt reads: “A person who has been found to be guilty in three separate cases involving heinous crime and sentenced to imprisonment does not deserve any indulgence by the state authorities”. “In the present case, Respondent Number 9 (Ram Rahim) has been granted temporary release from custody without any cogent reason, more so when he has been granted parole a number of times in the last year…information has been obtained from concerned quarters as per which his temporary release from custody is likely to create disturbance in the law and order situation in the state of Punjab,” it adds.

The affidavit further mentioned that there is “a history of conflict” between the Dera Sacha Sauda and state authorities “as had been witnessed in the Tri-city, particularly Panchkula, where his followers had created mayhem at time of his conviction in 2017” in the rape case.

The affidavit points that many people died in the conflict where Ram Rahim’s “followers had tried to over-awe the state authorities” and that many of the deceased were from Punjab. “Therefore, his temporary release is likely to have repercussions on the law and order situation in the state of Punjab,” the affidavit read.

According to the Punjab government, granting frequent parole to Ram Rahim has led to resentment in a particular religious community and has created a “festive and celebratory atmosphere” among the dera followers, which is highly resented by some sections of the society.

“That there is an apprehension of disturbance to law and order situation in the state of Punjab as persons opposed to the respondent no 9 may hold protests in the state of Punjab which may extend to activities like burning effigies/traffic jams/dharnas to express displeasure against his temporary release,” the Punjab government told the court.

It also told the court that some sections of society may compare the frequent temporary parole to the dera chief to the cases of some people who have been in jail for a long time. Several Sikh bodies, including the SGPC, have been demanding the release of ‘Bandi Singhs’ (Sikh prisoners), which they claim are lodged in jails despite having completed their sentences. The high court will now hear the matter on March 9.

The dera chief and four others were convicted in 2021 for hatching a conspiracy to kill Ranjit Singh, a dera manager.

In 2019, he and three others were convicted for the murder of a journalist 16 years ago. The SGPC had earlier argued that his conviction in two murder cases amounted to “serial killings”. The Haryana government rejected the SGPC argument. Ram Rahim’ conviction in two different murder cases cannot be termed “serial killings” as he was not an assailant and had not executed the actual murders, it said. “He has been held guilty for hatching criminal conspiracies with the co-accused for these killings. He has been punished under section 302 IPC only with the aid of section 120-B,” it said.

The Haryana government said the dera chief has already been on parole and furlough on three different occasions as granted by the competent authority and during his temporary release no untoward incident took place.