Accused of canvassing, jail supdt gets clean chit

Rohtak/Chandigarh, April 15

Sunaria jail Superintendent Sunil Sangwan, who was accused of mounting pressure on rape and murder convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for votes of dera followers in support of the Congress, has been exonerated of the charge following an inquiry.

He is the son of Satpal Sangawan, who was a minister in the Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s Cabinet. A complainant had alleged Sunil Sangwan was mounting pressure on prisoners, including Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, to vote for the Congress.

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) had forwarded the complaint to the District Electoral Officer (DEO), Rohtak, asking him to look into the matter.

Rohtak DC-cum-DEO Yash Garg said he had got the matter probed by the Sampla SDM, who is in charge of the complaint cell. “The Sampla SDM recorded the statements of jail officials and inmates. The allegations were found baseless,” Garg said, adding the inquiry report had been sent to the CEO.

Inder Jeet, Joint CEO, said that during the course of the inquiry the Sampla SDM spoke to Ram Rahim and several other inmates. “The SDM has said in his report that the allegations are false,” he said.

The Superintendent could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. — TNS