Don\'t relate Ram Rahim\'s parole appeal with elections: Haryana Jail Minister

Chandigarh: Haryana Jail Minister Krishan Lal Panwar on Tuesday said that people should not relate Ram Rahim's parole appeal to the upcoming Haryana assembly elections.

"Do not link it with the elections. If we had such intentions, we would have released him before the Lok Sabha elections," Panwar said.

Self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is serving life imprisonment in Rohtak's Sunaria jail for the murder of a journalist and 20 years in prison for raping two of his women followers, had sought parole in a letter to the jail authorities.

"Every convict has the right to seek parole after a year. He made a request, which we forwarded to the Sirsa district administration. Further actions will be taken based on the DM's report," Panwar added.

His parole appeal was sent by the jail authorities to the district administration which, in turn, had forwarded it to the Haryana government.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, on the other hand, refused to comment on the development until after he has reviewed the report.