Chandigarh: Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who has been convicted in cases of sexual abuse and murder, and is currently on a furlough has been provided a Z plus security by the Haryana government following alleged threat to his life by pro-Khalistani elements. The move comes over three weeks after he was granted a 21-day furlough by the Haryana jail administration.
Sources said that a letter on behalf of ADG CID to Rohtak Range Commissioner on February 6 said there had been “inputs from the Ministry of Home Affairs that Ram Rahim is under threat from Khalistani terrorists”. “Even before he “Ram Rahim was convicted, he has been getting threats. In view of this danger, it is necessary to tighten the security of Gurmeet Ram Rahim,” sources said of the decision to provide a Z plus security to Ram Rahim.
The self-styled godman was on August 28, 2017 sentenced by a CBI court to 10 years imprisonment in the sexual abuse case of two sadhvis. In January 2019, a special CBI court sentenced Ram Rahim to life imprisonment in the journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati murder case. In October 2021, he was also sentenced to life imprisonment in the murder of former Dera manager Ranjit Singh.
However, on February 7, the Haryana jail administration sanctioned three weeks furlough to Ram Rahim after a petition was filed in the High Court by 56-year-old Paramjit Singh Sohali against this decision of the Haryana government. A hearing in the case is scheduled for February 23. The godman is presently living with his family in Gurugram.
The petition challenging the furlough to Ram Rahim argued that the furlough came just ahead of the Punjab assembly polls adding due to this “there is a fear of disturbing the peace in Punjab”. The petitioner a resident of village Bhadson in Patiala district of Punjab had, on February 8, also submitted a memorandum to the Haryana government for cancellation of furlough, but no action was taken. According to the petitioner, the Dera chief can “execute his illegality on the ground in the assembly elections, as many of his associates are absconding after wrongdoing”.
The petition states that the Dera chief has “committed a series of grossly nefarious and infamous acts. In such a situation, he has been released on furlough in February ahead of Punjab assembly elections."
It may be recalled that violence took place on a large scale after the Dera chief was brought to Sunaria jail in Rohtak on August 25, 2017 as he was to be produced in the CBI Court of Panchkula. After the violence, he was brought to Sunaria Jail via helicopter. On August 28, a special CBI court was held on the jail premises itself.
CBI judge Jagdeep Singh had sentenced Ram Rahim to 10 years imprisonment in the sexual abuse case of two sadhvis. At the same time, in the month of January 2019, a special CBI court had sentenced Ram Rahim to life imprisonment in the journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati murder case. In October 2021, Ram Rahim was also sentenced to life imprisonment in the murder of former Dera manager Ranjit Singh.
Also read: Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim granted 21-day furlough
