Chandigarh/IBNS: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has raised questions over repeated paroles granted to Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who is a rape convict and is supposed to be serving 20 years in prison.

The rape convict was given a 50-day parole in January, which was his seventh parole in almost 10 months and ninth in the last four years.

The high court has directed the Haryana government to ensure the surrender of Ram Rahim on March 10, the day his parole is supposed to end. It has also ordered the state government to request the court's permission to grant parole to Ram Rahim the next time.

Besides the setback, the Punjab and Haryana High Court, while hearing a petition, has ordered the state government to provide information as to how many people have been given payroll in this manner.

Ram Rahim was granted parole on three occasions and was out of jail for 91 days.

He was released for 21 days in November, 30 days in July, and 40 days in January - to attend former Dera chief Shah Satnam's birth anniversary.

The court has questioned the frequent paroles/furloughs and asked the state government to provide information on how many prisoners applied for parole and how many applications were accepted by them.

The high court also sought answers from the Haryana government over benefits given to the rape convict and how many prisoners received similar treatment.

Ram Rahim Singh was convicted by a special CBI court in Haryana's Panchkula in August 2017 for raping two women.