Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Ram Rahim, who is serving a life sentence and 20 years’ imprisonment in two different cases in Sunaria jail of Rohak, was granted a 21-day furlough on Monday ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections of 20 February. The issue has become the talk of the town in wake of the upcoming polls in neighbouring Punjab. It is pertinent to mention that Ram Rahim is serving 20 years’ imprisonment and life sentence in a rape case and for the murder of a man working as a manager in the Dera. Sources said that during parole, Ram Rahim would be stationed in his Gurugram Dera and would be there under complete watch of the Haryana Police.
Addressing media persons on the issue and the timing of giving the parole, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that any prisoner who has completed an imprisonment of three years, can apply for furlough. Following this, the jail administration concerned is
authorised to take a final decision following due process. Thus, getting furlough is the right of a prisoner who has completed the required norms and guidelines along with protocols.
It came to light that following the permission for furlough, Ram Rahim was released at 3.20 pm from Sunaria Jail, Rohtak and after that, he headed towards his Dera located in Gurugram. He was accompanied by a fleet of more than half a dozen police vehicles for his protection and to avoid any kind of security breach as such incidents surfaced earlier during his parole in 2021.
It is believed he has several followers constituting a sizable chunk of votes in certain Assembly seats of Punjab and these voters are likely to have an impact on the polls. Furlough is a brief release from prison. It is conditional and is given in case of long-term imprisonment. The period of sentence spent on furlough by the prisoners need not be undergone by him as is done in the case of parole. Furlough is granted as a good conduct remission. Prior to this, Jail Minister Ranjit Singh, who also holds the portfolio of ministry of power, had said that it is a constitutional right of a prisoner to get parole.
There are six major deras in Punjab which are the most influential and having influence on more than half of the total Assembly seats in the state. Dera Sacha has emerged among these and is believed to have political influence on the border districts of Punjab adjoining Haryana. With elections around the corner, leaders of various political parties pay visits to the deras. Dera Sacha Sauda has a massive following in the Malwa region of Punjab, especially among Scheduled Castes and Backward Caste voters. Political experts are of the opinion that giving furlough to the Dera chief is likely to benefit the BJP in the Punjab Assembly elections.
