Gurmeet Ram Rahim not 'hardcore prisoner': High Court

Chandigarh, April 7

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh did not fall in the category of “hardcore prisoner” for the purpose of his release on parole/furlough.

The assertion came as Justice Raj Mohan Singh disposed of as infructuous a petition challenging his release on furlough as the dera chief has already returned to the jail on the completion of his period of release.

The verdict was pronounced in the open Court today, but the same was yet to be uploaded on the High Court’s official website. Justice Raj Mohan Singh was hearing a petition challenging Ram Rahim Singh’s release on furlough. Among other things, the petitioner had contended that Ram Rahim was released in view of the Assembly elections in Punjab.

“His release at this stage is against the spirit of fair Assembly elections,” petitioner Paramjit Singh Saholi had submitted. His counsel had added Ram Rahim, who committed “heinous crimes and has been convicted”, ought not to have been granted furlough.

The state was represented in the matter by State Advocate-General Baldev Raj Mahajan with Additional Advocate-General Pawan Girdhar. Ram Rahim was represented by senior advocate Vinod Ghai.

The state’s stand in the matter was Ram Rahim not a “hardcore prisoner”.

In his reply placed before the High Court, the Superintendent of Rohtak District Jail submitted “the respondent does not fall in any of the categories of hardcore prisoners and all the assertions made by the petitioner in this regard are incorrect and without any basis”. It was added in case that the respondent was considered “hardcore prisoner”, even then he was entitled to temporary release as he had undergone more than five years of sentence as a convict in jail. —