Ram Rahim granted parole ahead of Haryana polls, Congress red flags citing violation of model code
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, convicted in a rape case and is supposed to be serving a 20-year jail sentence, will be granted parole for the 10th time in the past two years days before an Assembly election.
Flagging the issue, the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee has written to the Chief Election Commissioner over "breaking news (that) parole will be granted".
It has urged the top poll body that his release from jail at this time would constitute a violation of the Model Code of Conduct in place during elections.
His release has also been red-flagged by the son of a journalist who was murdered, for which Rahim and three others were convicted.
The son said freeing Rahim now "violates democratic values and fair elections" as he could "influence voting by sending messages to benefit a particular party.
Ram Rahim Singh was convicted by a special CBI court in Haryana's Panchkula in August 2017 for raping two women.
Rahim is known to have a mass following in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, as well as Haryana.
Haryana goes to polling on Saturday in an election seen as being a close contest between the Incumbent BJP with the Congress.
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