Punjab and Haryana HC reserves verdict on petition challenging Dera chief’s release on furlough

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, February 25

Justice Raj Mohan Singh of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday reserved verdict on a petition challenging Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s release on furlough after hearing lengthy arguments in the matter.

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.

“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 had added.

The State of Haryana, on the other hand, had defended its move to release Ram Rahim on furlough after submitting that he was not a “hardcore prisoner”.

In his reply placed before the High Court, the Superintendent of Rohtak District Jail submitted that “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 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.