SC refuses to hear plea against temporary release of Gurmeet Ram Rahim
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear a plea of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) against the temporary release of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Prashant Kumar Mishra had a plea before them challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court order. The bench noted Singh's counsel objection to the maintainability of the PIL before the high court, which it disposed of, on the ground that it was filed against a single person, who was Singh.
"In that view of the matter, we are not inclined to consider the present petition," the bench said. Singh is serving a 20-year jail term for raping two of his disciples. The SGPC moved the apex court against a August 2024 order of the high court. The high court disposed of the SGPC's PIL observing in case an application was filed by Singh for temporary release, the same should be considered by the competent authority without any "arbitrariness or favourtism". It was alleged that the state of Haryana, while granting temporary release to Singh, was misusing its powers under Section 11 of the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 2022.
The SGPC counsel alleged authorities granted paroles or furloughs to Singh repeatedly for the maxium period between 2022 and 2024. Singh's counsel said the PIL filed before the high court in 2023 was only against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief. "It is only directed against me (Singh)," his counsel said, indicating a political rivalry. The top court took note of the high court saying if an application was made by Singh for his temporary release, it would be "considered strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Act of 2022" without "arbitrariness or favoritism or discrimination". The SGPC's counsel said despite the high court order, Singh was granted parole in January this year. "Challenge that now and file a contempt petition before the high court that they (authorities) have committed a contempt of the high court's order," the apex court observed. In 2017, Singh was sentenced to a 20-year imprisonment for allegedly raping two disciples. On January 3, the apex court agreed to examine the CBI's appeal against the acquittal of Singh and four others in the 2002 murder of Ranjit Singh, a former manager of the sect. In May last year, the high court acquitted Singh and four others in the murder case, citing "tainted and sketchy" probe in the matter.
