Dera Chief Ram Rahim gets Z-plus security over threats from ‘pro-Khalistan’ elements, granted a 21-day furlough by the Haryana government.
The Dera chief Ram Rahim held for murder and rape, was granted a 21-day furlough by the Haryana government on February 7 and is presently staying at his Gurugram Ashram and the Z-plus security he gets is the same level of security as Home Minister of India, Amit Shah!
The Haryana government, in a detailed report submitted to the Punjab and Haryana high court, claimed that Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim was not a ‘hardcore criminal’ as he was not the assailant and had not executed the actual killings in the two murder cases that he has been convicted for.
According to the state government, the Sirsa Dera chief was only convicted for hatching a criminal conspiracy with the co-accused for these two murders. He was sentenced to 20-year imprisonment — 10 years each for two cases — for raping two women in August 2017. The terms will run consecutively.
In January 2019, along with three others, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatarpati in 2002. He was convicted in October 2021 along with four others for the murder of former Dera manager Ranjit Singh in 2002 and sentenced to life.
In its detailed report submitted to the HC, the Haryana government claimed that even if it is admitted that the Dera chief is a hardcore criminal, he has the right to be released on furlough as he has completed five years in jail.
The HC had asked Haryana to give details along with the record for its decision to grant the Dera chief a 21-day furlough after an independent candidate in the Punjab assembly polls had moved the court against his release just days before the voting in the state.
Ram Rahim was granted a 21-day furlough by the Haryana government on February 7 and is presently staying at his Gurugram ashram. On his release for the 21-day furlough, he was also provided Z-plus category security considering a high-level threat to his life from “pro-Khalistan” elements.
An examination of the record placed before the HC by Sunil Sangwan, jail superintendent, Sunaria jail, where the Dera chief is undergoing his sentences for two rapes and two murders, has revealed that the process to release Gurmeet Ram Rahim was initiated after obtaining a legal opinion from Haryana advocate general (AG).
In his opinion dated January 25, the AG had said that the Dera chief cannot be categorized as a ‘hardcore criminal’ under the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act.
Who is Ram Rahim?
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan (born 15 August 1967), known also as MSG, is the head of the Indian social group Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) since 1990.
On 25 August 2017, a special CBI court in Panchkula, Haryana, delivered its verdict in a sexual assault case regarding a former Dera sadhvi, finding Ram Rahim guilty of two counts of rape. Prior to a 2017 rape conviction, he was a religious leader, actor, singer, writer, songwriter, director, and composer. He was convicted of being involved in the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati.
The Indian Express had placed Ram Rahim 96th in their list of the 100 most powerful Indians of 2015. He has released several music albums and films, which typically revolve around himself and his teachings, and the production house claimed that several of them had grossed ₹1 billion.
On 25 August 2017, Ram Rahim was convicted of rape by a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court. His conviction sparked violence from members of the DSS and concurrent battles with the police, which left several dead and injured. On 28 August 2017, Ram Rahim was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
In January 2019, he and three others were convicted of the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati and sentenced to life imprisonment. Chhatrapati was the journalist who published the anonymous letter accusing Dera Sacha Sauda leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of rape, of which he would later be found guilty.
On the night of 24 October, two men riding a motorcycle shot Chhatrapati at point-blank range outside his residence. The journalist succumbed to his injuries four weeks later. Ram Rahim was convicted for his role in the murder on 11 January 2019 and was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Special CBI Court on 17 January 2019.
He is also facing prosecution for other murders and ordering forced castrations.
