Ram Rahim will grow vegetables, prune trees in prison at Rs 20/day

He was master of the sprawling Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters at Sirsa till past August 28. But, now incarcerated, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh will spend his time in jail growing vegetables, pruning trees – eight hours a day just for Rs 20, reports PTI.

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, 10 years each in two rape cases, on August 28. And the ‘pita-ji’, as his followers used to call him reverently, was stamped as prisoner number 1997.

Adjoining his barrack, there is a small plot of land where he will grow vegetables, K P Singh, DGP (jails), Haryana, told reporters toady in Panchkula. “He has already taken up his work.” Whatever he produces will be used in the jail mess.

Born in the Sri Gurusar Modia village in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district on August 15, 1967, Ram Rahim used to help his landlord father in farms during his early years.

“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, he said. He described the high-profile inmate as a “disciplined prisoner” as he dismissed reports that Ram Rahim was being extended any special treatment.

Media reports about his health and other activities are also without any basis, said the jail officer.