Chandigarh, June 26: Even as Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said on tuesday any prisoner had the right to apply for parole, a report by Sirsa tehsildar on Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s plea for parole says the latter does not have agriculture land in his name.
Serving jail terms in Rohtak’s Sunaria jail for raping two followers and the murder of a scribe, the dera chief had sought parole for 42 days to “look after his agriculture field”. Subsequently, the Jail Superintendent sought a report from the Sirsa DC who, in turn, sought a report from revenue officials (tehsildar) and the district police.
According to sources, the report by the Sirsa tehsildar says while the Dera has over 250 acres of land registered in the name of a trust, Ram Rahim is neither the owner nor the cultivator of this land. “These facts weaken his claim to being granted parole,” an official said.
CM Khattar said only after receiving the Divisional Commissioner’s recommendation would his government take a decision. “A parole application is filed before the Jail Superintendent who forwards it to the DC concerned. Then a report is sought from the Superintendent of Police and revenue officials. Finally, a recommendation is made by the Divisional Commissioner,” he explained.
