Updated July 1st, 2019 at 21:13 IST
Impact: Rapist baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim withdraws his parole plea in face of staunch opposition
In a major impact, Dera Sacha Sauda chief and rapist Gurmeet Ram Rahim withdrew his plea seeking parole on Monday, a week after filing it.
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In a major impact, Dera Sacha Sauda chief and rapist Gurmeet Ram Rahim withdrew his plea seeking parole on Monday, a week after filing it. This development has come amid the controversy that broke after the BJP leader Manohar Lal Khattar-led Haryana government ministers backed for Ram Rahim's parole.
Haryana Sports Minister Anil Vij had said that there is "nothing wrong" in giving parole to Ram Rahim even if he is convicted in multiple rape cases.
"There is nothing wrong in giving him parole even though he has been convicted. The parole rule must be the same for all. Like other prisoners gets parole, if he has behaved properly in the jail, he can get parole," said Anil Vij.
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar had also reiterated his government's stand saying that Ram Rahim has the right to apply for parole.
"No one can be stopped from asking for parole. Parole is asked from the jail superintendent," Khattar had said.
The 51-year-old Dera Sacha Sauda chief, who is currently lodged at Sunaria jail in Rohtak after being convicted in two rape cases and murder of a journalist, had sought parole to do farming in his fields in Haryana's Sirsa. The jail superintendent had written to the Sirsa district administration, saying that Ram Rahim has the right to get parole if his behavior has been good in jail. He also mentioned that Rahim's conduct in jail has been good and he has not violated any rule.
In August of 2017, the Gurmeet Ram Rahim was sentenced to 20 years in jail for raping two women. A special CBI court in Panchkula had in January 2019 also sentenced him and three others to life imprisonment for the murder of a journalist over 16 years ago.
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Published July 1st, 2019 at 20:42 IST
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