ROHTAK: The entire one-day-parole operation of taking Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the controversial head of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda, from Rohtak’s Sunaria jail to a private hospital in Gurgaon to meet his ailing mother, was done secretly to avoid gathering of his followers.
The dera chief, who is serving sentence after conviction in rape cases by a CBI court, was released on parole on October 24. Haryana jail and power minister Ranjit Chautala confirmed to mediapersons in Sirsa on Saturday that the dera head was granted one-day parole as per the law.
Sources said the to-and frooperation of taking Gurmeet from Rohtak to Gurgaon was carried out by over 200 police personnel, but it was kept under wraps due to fear of assembly of his followers. The BJPJPP government already had faced damage of reputation in previous elections in pockets holding sway of dera followers, so it wanted to avoid a bad image again if police were to face them due to presence of the dera chief out of jail.
When Gurmeet was shifted to Sunaria jail in 2017, the police had a tough time dealing with his followers, who used to park their car on Rohtak-Hisar highway near the jail and offer prayers.
A senior officer told TOI that police personnel were told that they were being moved to maintain law and order due to Dussehra. A head constable who was on duty on that day in Rohtak said the force was first directed to assemble in Rohtak police lines, then moved to Shivaji Nagar police station. No reason was given by their officers, but in reality the police force deputed were on high alert to scare away any assembly of dera chief ’s followers in case the information of his parole leaked out.
Rohtak SP Rahul Sharma said they had received a request from the jail superintendent seeking security for Gurmeet’s visit to Gurgaon for transportation from sunrise to sunset on October 24.