Updated October 23rd, 2019 at 17:54 IST
Jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim's supporter moves HC
A supporter of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim moved the Punjab and Haryana HC seeking enhanced security for him and his production before the court
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A supporter of Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, identified as Dr. Mohit Gupta, moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court (HC) on Tuesday. He not only sought more security for Rahim but also asked to produce him before the court. Alleging that Rahim was being tortured in Rohtak’s Sunaria jail, Gupta claimed that the former was not allowed to meet his supporters. While the HC is yet to up the matter, the plea has been cleared by the registry.
Allegations against jail administration
Gupta accused the jail administration of denying Rahim the rights of a jail inmate by stressing that he was not allowed to make calls. According to the petitioner, his Right to Information (RTI) application requesting information on the rights of a prisoner did not fetch any results. He also noted that dreaded criminals present in jail posed a threat to the DSS chief’s life. Furthermore, Gupta claimed that the leader of a political party pressurized Rahim to announce his support for that party in the recently concluded 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Read | Impact: Rapist Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Withdraws His Parole Plea In Face Of Staunch Opposition
Convicted for rape and murder
In August 2017, Rahim was sentenced to 20 years in jail for raping two women. Subsequently, over 35 people lost their lives and several were injured in the violence after his conviction. Thousands of his followers went on the rampage, setting fire to vehicles, buildings and railway stations. The protest started in Haryana's Panchkula and spread like fire in other parts of the state, along with Punjab and Delhi. In a separate development, he and three other associates were sentenced to life imprisonment in January 2019 for their involvement in the murder of a journalist over 16 years ago. The latter was killed in Sirsa, Haryana, after his newspaper published an anonymous letter alleging sexual exploitation of women by the self-styled godman at the DSS headquarters.
Read | Parole Plea Of Rapist Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Rejected
Parole application
A few months ago, he applied for parole, saying that he wanted to tend to his agricultural fields. Following his application, the Sunaria jail superintendent had written to the Sirsa district administration. In a letter dated June 18, he had sought a report on whether releasing Gurmeet on parole would be feasible or not. However, Rahim withdrew his parole plea days later in July.
Read | INLD's Abhay Chautala Calls 2017 Ram Rahim Case Violence "democratic"
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Published October 23rd, 2019 at 16:50 IST
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