Rape convict Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim granted 21-days furlough

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim will come out of jail for three weeks after he was granted furlough on Monday. According to multiple media reports, he would be out of Rohtak's Sunaria jail by this evening. Notably, Gurmeet Ram Rahim, also known as MSG, is the head of the Indian social group Dera Sacha Sauda since 1990. He is currently serving a life term for the murder of his manager and follower, Ranjit Singh and raping two of his disciples.  The manager was killed some twenty years ago while the two women were allegedly raped in 2017.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim furlough linked with upcoming Punjab polls

Though several linked his release to the upcoming Punjab polls as his followers have considerable sway in Punjab’s Malwa region, however, Haryana's Power Minister Ranjit Singh refuted the claims and added the state government had nothing to do with granting parole to  Ram Rahim. While speaking to reporters on Sunday, the minister said it is the legal right of the inmate to get parole after the completion of three years of conviction.

According to the Haryana Minister, his request application was also examined by the requisite committee before accepting the furlough. It is worth mentioning Punjab is set for the Assembly polls this month and the Dera Sachha Sauda has enormous followers in both Punjab and Haryana that have the potential to decide the outcome of the elections. Earlier in 2007, Gurmeet Ram Rahim had supported the Congress that reportedly resulted in the victory of the grand old party.

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