Supreme Court refuses to grant parole to godman Rampal for attending granddaughter's wedding

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to grant parole to self-styled godman Rampal, who is currently serving a life sentence in connection with a murder case, for attending his granddaughter`s wedding tomorrow.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad Arvind Bobde refused to grant parole to Rampal, who had approached the apex court seeking to attend the wedding.

Rampal was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with two murder cases in 2018.

The self-styled godman was arrested in November 2014 after two murder cases were registered against him.

The two cases against Rampal and his followers were lodged at Barwala police station on November 19, 2014. The first case was lodged on the complaint of one Shivpal of Mithapur near Badarpur in Delhi in which Rampal and 14 of his followers were sentenced to life imprisonment by Hisar Additional District and Sessions Judge DR Chaliya.

The second one (FIR 430/2014)  was lodged by Suresh of Jakhora village of Lalitpur district in Uttar Pradesh for which the quantum of sentence was pronounced today. 

Both the complainants had alleged that their respective wives' were held captive inside Rampal's ashram and later killed.

Besides the murder charges, the Barwala police had also invoked the offense of wrongful confinement, among others, in the two FIRs.

In November 2014, as the police proceeded to arrest Rampal holed up inside his ashram, his followers and devotees, numbering over 15,000, surrounded the sprawling 12-acre hermitage to prevent the godman's arrest.

Six persons including five women and an infant were killed in the ensuing violence.

Elaborate security arrangements were made by Hisar district administration ahead of the pronouncement of sentence.

Section 144 of the CrPC, prohibiting gathering of more than four persons, has already been imposed by the district magistrate, effective till October 17.

(With ANI inputs)