Rape Convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim's Parole Challenged Before Punjab and Haryana High Court, Deletion of 'Satsang' Videos Also Sought

A lawyer in Chandigarh has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking cancellation of the parole of Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who is a convict in different cases of rape and murder and has pending proceedings in two more FIRs in district courts of Panchkula and Faridkot.

Advocate Hari Chand Arora in the petition has argued that the grant of parole to Dera chief is in violation of the provisions of Sections 3 and 8 of the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary) Release Act, 2002 as appropriate conditions have not have incorporated in the parole order to prevent its misuse by the convict.

Alleging that Ram Rahim has been misusing the parole by conducting online satsangs with his followers all over the world and has also released a video of his song on Youtube, Arora has argued that the said conduct is "threatening the peace and tranquillity" in Punjab where people "opposed to him are rising in revolt against the parole granted to him" by Haryana government.

"They are staging dharnas outside the Nam-charcha-houses of the Deras of Gurmeet Singh @ Baba Ram Rahim, and the competent authority, while granting the parole has not applied its mind to the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case and has simply in a mechanical manner, just consulted the District Magistrate of Baghpat, U.P, within whose area the said respondent was to stay during parole and has not taken care to consult the Government of Punjab ... regarding the apprehension, if any, of threat to peace in the State of Punjab," Arora has said in the plea.

Arora has also alleged that Ram Rahim has been "resorting to giving magic remedies" to his followers during the online satsang being conducted by him and "has been giving blessings to some of the female followers that she/they would be blessed with son by using the mantra entrusted to them".

Arguing that the parole granted to him deserves to be cancelled, Arora has also sought a direction for removal of the videos uploaded by Ram Rahim on Youtube.