Chandigarh: The release of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh – serving life imprisonment for the murder of his manager, another for the murder of a journalist, as well as another one in a rape case – before the Punjab assembly elections has been challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The petitioner said the order of furlough is “unwarranted, illegal, untenable”, and urged the high court to stay the order that allowed his release.
“The release of Gurmit Ram Rahim during Punjab Assembly elections can affect the peace of state of Punjab and impact elections adversely. More so, there is no legitimate worthy legal right and legitimate basis for furlough to be granted to Gurmit Ram Rahim. The orders granting furlough of Gurmit Ram Rahim deserves to be summoned and quashed/set aside and in the meanwhile the order granting furlough to Gurmit Ram Rahim deserves to be stayed,” said the petitioner.
Dera followers, and particularly those of Ram Rahim Singh, are influential in Punjab’s Malwa region, with their votes seen as key in deciding parliamentary and legislative elections. The Malwa region has 69 constituencies – over half of the Punjab Assembly’s 117 seats.
His release during elections, which are scheduled for this Sunday, is also “against the spirit of public order”, said the petitioner.
“Ram Rahim who committed heinous crimes ought not to have been granted furlough. It is illegitimate, unwarranted, untenable and unsustainable and hence deserves to be set aside,” the petitioner added.
The Dera head was granted a furlough of 21 days on February 7.
Speaking at a party event the same day, Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar said the furlough had nothing to do with any election. The state’s Jails Minister, Ranjit Singh Chautala, said the Dera chief had been granted leave in accordance with established protocol.
Dera followers – who number in the crores and have been relatively subdued since Rahim Singh was jailed – are widely seen as voting in accordance with diktats from sect leaders.
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