Chandigarh:
After spending four months in jail, former Punjab cabinet minister Bibi Jagir Kaur has been granted parole for 28 days. Ms Kaur is serving a five-year sentence at the Kapurthala Central Jail. She was convicted in March of various criminal charges related to her teen daughter's death in 2000.
The teenager, Harpreet, was forced into an abortion by Bibi Kaur. She died on April 20 under mysterious circumstances. No post-mortem was conducted. Bibi Kaur was at that time the president of the powerful Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Harpreet's family said she had died of severe dehydration, vomiting and fever.
When Bibi Kaur was arrested, she was the only woman in the Punjab cabinet.
"Kaur has been given parole for 28 days. She came out of jail today and left with her son-in-law for her village," Kapurthala Jail Superintendent S P Khanna said.
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court in Patiala on March 30 this year convicted the then minister of forcible abortion, wrongful confinement, abduction and criminal conspiracy. She was, however, absolved of the charges of murdering her daughter.
Ms Kaur has been surrounded in controversy about receiving special treatment in jail ever since she was convicted. Video footage showed she was driven up to the jail in an air-conditioned Innova car. A policeman in the jail, in a gesture of respect, also bent down to touch her feet.
Ms Kaur was also a chief guest at a religious function held inside the jail where she was seen honouring Jagjit Singh, Inspector General, Prisons. At the function, Ms Kaur, who is also the head of the Dera Sant Baba Prem Singh, honoured some other jail officials as well, including the Jail Superintendent.