Rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim, the chief of Dera Sacha Sauda sect who built an empire worth thousands of crores, will spend his time in jail growing vegetables, pruning trees- eight hours a day just for Rs 20.
The 50-year-old self-styled godman, who boasted of millions of followers, is lodged in Rohtak’s Sunaria jail for raping his two disciples. A special CBI court had sentenced him to 20 years in jail on August 28.
“Keeping in view the security scenario, the jail administration has decided to entrust farming to Ram Rahim. He will plant vegetables in the first week of October,” said KP Singh, Haryana Director General, Jails, while talking to the mediapersons,
In jail, he will also prune trees adjoining his barrack. He will get Rs 20 per day for farming work, which falls under the unskilled work category, the DGP (jails) said.
Normally, eight hours is maximum a prisoner is allowed to do work, he said.
The DGP (jails) described the high-profile inmate as a “disciplined prisoner” as he dismissed reports that Ram Rahim was being extended any special treatment.
Singh said that Ram Rahim is being kept as a common prisoner in Rohtak’s Sunaria jail and his health is fine.
“Only a few prisoners are allowed to go to the barrack of Ram Rahim due to security reasons.
His safety is being taken care of on the basis of reports of police, intelligence and other security agencies. Jail management is not letting every prisoner go to Ram Rahim’s barrack,” he said.
Singh said that the jail rules allowed two persons having blood relation to talk to a prisoner over the phone. The prisoner is allowed to talk after police verification of the phone numbers. The dera chief gave two phone numbers, one of which belongs to his adopted daughter Honeypreet, while the other is his own. Honeypreet’s number is not reachable and Ram Rahim might have left his phone in the dera, said he.
Since these numbers have not been verified so far, Ram Rahim has not taken advantage of the convenience of any phone call, he added.
Asked for his response over reports which quoted some inmates, who have come out of the Sunaria prison, to claim that Ram Rahim is uncomfortable and breaks down in jail, the DGP said, “This is baseless”.
“ Ram Rahim does not have common contact with other prisoners. Access to his barrack is controlled for security reasons,” added Singh.
The news about Ram Rahim crying while keeping his head in his mother’s lap who came to jail to meet him, was also misleading as a glass and a net separates a visitor from the prisoner, the Director General (jails) added.
He said, “Videography of all those who come to meet the prisoners is being done”.
Describing reports regarding dera chief’s health and food appearing in the media for the past 25 days as completely concocted, Singh said Ram Rahim is living like a normal prisoner.
A CBI special court had on August 25 held the self-styled godman, also the lead actor of MSG film franchise, guilty of raping two female followers. He was later sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Immediately after his conviction, large-scale violence took place in Panchkula leaving atleast 35 dead and injuring over 250 people. The mob, consisting of dera followers, set scores of vehicles, including police and fire brigades, on fire.