Convicted for two murders & two rapes, dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim still not ‘hardcore criminal’

CHANDIGARH: Controversial Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim might have been convicted and jailed for two rape and two murder cases but he still is not considered a ‘hardcore criminal’ for the purpose of temporary release from the jail on parole or furlough. Despite being given two life imprisonments and two consecutive sentences of 20 years each for rapes, he would be fully eligible for parole/furlough except in case of an adverse report from the district magistrate.
The Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 1988 defines ‘hardcore criminals’ for the purpose of temporary release from the jail on parole/ furlough, according to which dera chief does not fall within the category of ‘hardcore criminals,’ who are barred from getting parole.As per the Act, a person who has been convicted for dacoity, robbery, kidnapping for ransom, murder with rape, rape with a woman below 16 years age, gang-rape, serial killing, contract killing and waging war against nation or sedition falls under the category of ‘hardcore criminal.’ The statute, however, clarifies that the state can deny parole in case his release is likely to endanger the security of the state or public order.

Govt gave many relaxations
However, in the recent past, the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP-JJP government gave the dera chief several relaxations by granting temporary parole to meet his family at a hospital as well as a farmhouse. In October, the state authorities secretly took him to a Gurgaon-based hospital on the pretext of arranging a meeting with his mother. Recently, he was taken to an upscale private hospital in Gurgaon for “treatment” by the state government by granting special permission.
The dera chief is currently lodged in Rohtak’s Sunaria jail since August 2017.
He is facing trial in one more case, which includes the castration of his followers inside the dera. Around 40 persons had lost their lives in August 2017 after the violence took place in Panchkula and other parts of Haryana and Punjab after he was convicted for two rape cases.