Chandigarh, June 14 (IANS): Controversial Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim on Friday approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court for a 21-day furlough to carry out "welfare activities" outside the jail.

The self-styled godman has pleaded that being the religious head of the institution where, once every two years in June, a Sewadar Shradhanjali Bhandara is organised to pay tribute to regular volunteers who spent their lives in social services and lost their lives in accidents, serious ailments, or otherwise, to pay condolences and to provide every possible help to their grieved families.

"It is apt to point out here that so many welfare activities are to be undertaken by Dera Sacha Sauda headed by the large-scale tree plantation, drug de-addiction, and marriages of poor girls, etc, for which the motivational drive is required to be carried out by the applicant,” pleaded Ram Rahim.

He has sought directions to consider and decide the application for furlough in accordance with the law under the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoner (Temporary Release) Act 2022.

On February 29, the High Court had directed the state not to entertain the dera chief’s application for parole without taking permission from the court.

The court's directive came in the wake of a petition filed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) objecting to the frequent release of Ram Rahim by the Haryana government on parole or furlough despite him being a convict in rape and murder cases.