Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim seeks parole to meet ailing mother

Sunaria jail authorities have written to Haryana Police and Sirsa district administration after receiving Dera Sacha Sauda head’s application for 21-day parole

Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is undergoing a 20-year jail sentence for raping two followers, has sought parole of 21 days to look after his ailing mother, prison officials said on Tuesday.

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who is lodged in Rohtak's Sunaria jail, has sought a parole for 21 days. (HT file photo)

Sunaria jail superintendent Suneel Sangwan said: “We have written to Haryana Police and Sirsa district administration to verify whether the dera chief’s mother is ill or not. We have also asked the Sirsa district administration to clarify whether there is any law and order threat or not after releasing him.”

The Dera Sacha Sauda chief was given a day’s parole to meet his ailing mother on October 24, 2020. State jails minister Ranjit Singh had justified the parole at that time, saying it was given as per the law. Ram Rahim’s mother was admitted in a Gurugram hospital at that time.

“There is a provision under the law that in case of an emergency in the family of a convict the prisoner is allowed to visit his family under police protection. He was taken under full police protection after the government had taken into consideration all aspects,” Ranjit Singh had said.

Last week, Gurmeet Ram Rahim had been hospitalised at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Rohtak after his blood pressure dipped in the jail. He was discharged when all his health parameters were found to be in the normal range the next day.