Punjab & Haryana High Court Directs Self-Styled Godman Ram Rahim To Surrender, Says State Won't Give Further Parole Sans HC's Permission

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed self-styled Godman Ram Rahim to surrender on March 10 (day on which his present parole is ending) and asked Haryana Government to not consider his case for grant of further parole without the permission of the High Court.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji said, "We would like the State of Haryana to furnish an affidavit as to how many persons having such criminal antecedents and sentenced in three cases have been granted this benefit. Let a necessary affidavit be filed before the next date of hearing. In the meantime, the said respondent (Ram Rahim) may  surrender on the date fixed 10.03.2024 and thereafter the State authorities shall not consider his case for grant or further parole till further orders without the permission of this Court."

The Court was hearing the plea filed by Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee in 2023 challenging the parole granted to Ram Rahim, who was convicted by the Special Judge, CBI, Panchkula in 2017 under Sections 376 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of ten years for committing offences on two women.

Ram Rahim was also convicted and sentenced to undergo life imprisonment in another FIR registered under Section 120-B read with Section 302 of the Indian penal Code in 2019 by the Special Judge, CBI, Panchkula.

In another case, Ram Rahim was convicted and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for life in another FIR registered under Section 120-B read with Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code in 2021 by the Special Judge, CBI, Panchkula.

The Court noted that, "Apparently", now the he is "undergoing imprisonment for the conviction awarded in the first case."

Perusing the record of parole granted to Ram Rahim furnished by Haryana Government, the Court observed that, "The same makes interesting reading keeping in view the background and the antecedents of respondent No.9. (Ram Rahim) who has conviction in three cases against him has been released for 91 days each in the years 2022 and 2023."

The Court further noted that, "inspite of the pendency of the present petition in which notice of motion was issued on 29.01.2023, the State Haryana has still chosen to grant him indulgence of parole again on 20.07.2023, 21.11.2023 and 19.01.2024 for a period of 30, 21 and 50 days. At present, the said respondent is also on parole unto 10.03.2024."

While listing the matter for March 11, the Court directed Haryana Government "to file necessary custody certificate to the effect that the said respondent has surrendered on the date fixed."

Puran Singh Hundal, Senior Advocate with Advocates Vikramjeet Singh Gursahib Singh Hundal, 

Ankush Chauhan for the petitioner.

Pawan Girdhar, Addl. Advocate General, Haryana.

Salil Sabhlok, Sr. Deputy Advocate General, Punjab. Dheeraj Jain, Senior Panel Counsel for respondent-UOI.

 Sonia Mathur, Senior Advocate with Advocates Amit Tiwari, Jitender Khurana, and Divik Mathur, Advocate, for respondent No.9 (Ram Rahim).

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