Chandigarh: Z plus category security has been provided to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by the Haryana government.
The self-proclaimed godman is currently serving a 20-year jail sentence for raping two of his women followers at his ashram in Sirsa, where the Dera is headquartered. A special CBI court convicted the 54-year-old in Panchkula in August 2017.
Ram Rahim was temporarily released from Sunaria jail in Haryana's Rohtak, on a 21-day furlough for meeting his family in Gurugram. He had applied for it to the Sunaria jail superintendent and later a recommendation from the concerned officials in Gurugram was also sought.
As per reports, his life has been threatened by pro-Khalistan activists, as a result of which, top-tier security has been granted to him.
The affidavit submitted in the court by the Haryana state government mentioned that Ram Rahim is not a 'Hardcore Prisoner' who has already been convicted for rape and murder.
The Haryana Government has argued that Ram Rahim did not commit murders, but he was a co-conspirator.
People in the Z-Plus category get 10 security personnel for mobile security, and two (plus eight) for residence security. The commandos of the National Security Guard provide a Z-Plus level of security.
The 21-day furlough comes just days ahead of the assembly polls in Punjab, where the sect has a large number of followers, particularly in Bathinda, Sangrur, Patiala and Muktsar.
Dera has a humongous fan following with its disciples numbering in crores. But, the followers have been relatively subdued since Ram Rahim was put behind bars. Dera followers are widely seen as voting in accordance with diktats from sect leaders.
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