‘Doctorate’ baba hasn’t applied for jail facilities he is entitled to
CHANDIGARH:: Lodged in Rohtak’s Sunaria jail since August 25 after he was convicted of raping two female disciples, Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim is being treated like any other inmate since he has not applied for facilities despite his claims of having received an honorary doctorate degree.
“Since we have not received any application about any of his educational qualifications, he has been lodged as an ordinary inmate. In case we receive any documents pertaining to his education qualification, we would examine to authenticate the same,’’ a senior prisons department official told HT.
According to the state jail manual, an inmate who is graduate or above is treated as category-B inmate and is entitled to a separate kitchen, a cook or a sewadar and choose work as per his/her qualification, such as handling the jail library or undertake office work.
Interestingly, the dera head, who was sentenced to 20-year rigorous imprisonment, had claimed to have been conferred upon an honorary doctorate degree by UK-based World Records University last year for his works for the cause of women and child empowerment.
The dera also has some world records for holding the largest eye screening and blood donation camps and the highest number of trees planted simultaneously at multiple locations. “He will have to work as per his abilities along with other inmates like other inmates if he or his family do not apply for these facilities,’’ an official said. Besides, two murder cases and a case of castration pending in the CBI court against the dera head.