HC to hear plea against furlough to Ram Rahim on Friday

Saurabh Malik

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Chandigarh, February 17

A petition challenging Dera Saccha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s release on furlough by the Haryana government will come up for hearing before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday.

Among other things, it has been contended before the High Court that Ram Rahim has been released in view of the impending assembly elections in Punjab.

“His release at this stage is against the spirit of fair assembly elections,” it has been added.

The petition has been listed for hearing before the High Court Bench of Justice B.S. Walia. In his petition against the State of Haryana and other respondents, Patiala district resident Paramjit Singh Saholi has added that that Ram Rahim, who committed “heinous crimes and has been convicted” ought not to have been granted furlough.

“There is no justified reason to grant furlough to an individual like Ram Rahim and that too during the election days in the State of Punjab. There is every likelihood that Ram Rahim will foment issues/troubles in the State of Punjab and adversely impact its local populace along with his supporters,” he has added.

Describing himself as the “Quami president of Akali Dal Sawtantar”, the petitioner has sought the setting aside/quashing of the order, vide which Ram Rahim, lodged in Sunaria jail in Rohtak, has been ordered to be released on furlough by the Haryana government, “especially when the assembly elections in Punjab are scheduled for February 20”. He has added that the order of furlough “is unwarranted, illegal, untenable in the eyes of the law, hence deserving to be set aside”.