High Court Seeks Haryana Govt's Response On Gurmeet Ram Rahim's Plea Seeking 21 Days Furlough

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today sought response from the Haryana Government on a plea filed by Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, seeking directions to the State to consider his application for 21 days furlough.

Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji has listed the matter for July 31.

The plea states that the Dera chief is eligible for release under the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoner (Temporary Release) Act, 2002 and the only embargo is the High Court order asking the Haryana Government to not consider his case for grant of further parole without its permission.

The release is sought to attend an event "Sewadar Shradhanjali Bhandara" organised by the Dera to pay tribute to regular volunteers who spent their lives in social services and lost their lives.

Senior advocate Aman Lekhi submitted that Ram Rahim is not covered under the definition of "hardcore prisoner" under the 2002 Act. As per the definition, the prisoner must have been convicted under section 302 IPC in two or more cases. The furlough application mentions that Ram Rahim was not convicted in two cases under Section 302 IPC rather, he is convicted in two cases under Section 120-B read with 302 IPC.

It was also contended that the issue that Ram Rahim is not a "hardcore prisoner" is already decided by the High Court in a writ petition.

"Grant of parole for 70 days and furlough for 21 days every calendar year is a right bestowed upon the eligible convict by the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 2022...rules do not prohibit grant of parole and furlough to any convicts who have been convicted and sentenced in three or more cases having life term and fixed term sentences," the application stated.

It added, "Out of said period of parole and furlough, 20 days of parole and 21 days of furlough are still pending for consideration by appropriate authorities. It is reiterated that no special treatment has been accorded to (Ram Rahim) at any stage."

ACJ Sandhawalia orally questioned the State how Ram Rahim was granted parole in face of the specific bar under the Act on grant parole before completion of one year in custody. "We will have to ensure that State has followed the procedure", the judge orally remarked.

Answering the query, AAG Pawan Girdhar submitted that the bar would not be applicable on him because he is not a "hard core prisoner".

Ram Rahim was recently acquitted by the High Court in a case for conspiracy to murder the former Dera manager Ranjit Singh in 2002.

Title: Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee v. State of Haryana and others.