Set up enquiry to study loopholes in parole for convicted rapists: Demands DCW

New Delhi: Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal on Friday sought to set up an enquiry to study loopholes in parole and remission policy in India due to which rape convicts end up being released.
Her remarks came in wake of the Bilkis Bano case rape convicts and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh being allowed to be out on parole. Addressing a letter to the Director General of Police (DGP) Janakpuri, Swati Maliwal wrote, "It has been oserved that the convicted (Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh) has been released multiple times during his incarceration and hold 'Pravachan Sabhas' and releases videos when out on parole."
She further claimed that the leaders who attended his Satsang were Ram Rahim's devotees.

She further stated that the incident highlights the prevelence of week parole policies in the country which can be misued by influential convicts for their own benefits.
"Set up enquiry to study loopholes in parole and remission policy in India due to which convicts like rapist of Bilkis Bano and Gurmeet Ram Rahim end up being released. Will submit report to GOI. Parole and Remission should not be allowed in heinous offences against women and children!," Tweeted Swait Maliwal.
Maliwal had earlier appealed to the Haryana government to cancel Ram Rahim's parole and sentence him to jail.
While parole means the release of a prisoner either temporarily for a special purpose or completely before the expiry of a sentence, on the promise of good behaviour, a furlough is a short-term temporary release of convicts from jail. He was convicted by a special CBI court in Panchkula in August 2017 for raping two women followers.

While, on October 8, 2021, the court convicted Rahim and four others in connection with former Dera manager Ranjit Singh's murder case.
Earlier on October 29, the DCW Chief wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking stronger laws and policies restricting remission and paroles of rape convicts.
The letter cited the Bilkis Bano case and the Gurmeet Ram Rahim matter and demanded that Bilkis Bano rapists and Gurmeet Ram Rahim be sent back to jail.
"On August 15 this year, the rapists were let off by the Gujarat Government citing the 1992 remission policy that allowed prisoners to apply for a reduction of their sentence. Apparently, this was done despite CBI and Special Judge (CBI) raising objections against the release of the convicts. The media has also reported that some of the rapists of Bilkis Bano were charged for crimes such as 'outraging the modesty of women' when they had been released on parole. Despite this, their sentence was reduced as even the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India recommended the premature release of the convicts of Bilkis Bano," read the letter.

"In a separate case, recently the Government of Haryana has released Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim on parole who has been convicted of rapes and murders and is serving a life sentence in a jail in Rohtak. It has been observed that the convict has been released multiple times during his incarceration. This time, when out on parole, he has held several 'Pravachan Sabhas' and released music videos promoting himself. In fact, recently several senior functionaries of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh Government including the Deputy Speaker and Mayor (Haryana) and Transport Minister (Himachal Pradesh) attended his 'Pravachan Sabhas' and pledged their complete allegiance and support to him! They stood in queues in his Sabhas with folded hands and sought his blessings and commended the 'work' of the convict!," the letter added.

Calling the incidents as deeply disturbing the DCW chief also stressed on the reflection of the connivance of highly placed politicians with influential convicts.
"The politicians continue to use rapists to further their vote bank politics, especially when elections are round the corner, which happens to be the case in both Gujarat and Haryana. If influential people enjoying political clout can seek undue benefits while serving life sentences in heinous crimes against women and children, justice is clearly denied and any steps of the Government for ensuring the safety of women and children are rendered devoid of any merit," she noted.
She also listed that the existing rules and policies vis a vis remission, parole, and even furlough in the country as extremely weak and said that these can be easily manipulated by politicians and convicts for their own benefit.

"The cases of Bilkis Bano's rapists being released from jail without serving their complete sentence as well as dangerous and influential rapists and murderers like Gurmeet Ram Rahim being released on parole have shaken the conscience of the country. Through these steps, the Governments of Haryana and Gujarat have not just denied justice to the victims, they have also lent their support to rapists which is extremely demoralizing for the women of the country," added Maliwal.
"Sir, I request your Hon'ble self to urgently reverse this travesty of justice. I look forward to your kind and urgent intervention in the matter," the letter noted. (ANI)