Dera chief back in Rohtak jail after furlough ends

Chandigarh: Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was today brought back to Rohtak's Sunaria jail after his 21-day furlough ended. Ram Rahim is serving a 20-year jail term for raping two women disciples at his Sirsa dera. He was convicted by a special CBI court in Panchkula in August 2017.

Police sources in Rohtak said that the dera chief was brought from Gurugram to Sunaria jail in Rohtak district before noon under heavy security cover. He was granted the three-week furlough on February 7 for meeting his family in Gurugram.

According to officials, the dera chief was provided Z-plus category security cover during his 21-day furlough considering the "high-level threat" to his life from "pro-Khalistan" elements.

The furlough had come just days ahead of the Assembly polls in Punjab, where the sect has a large number of followers in that state.