JHAJJAR: Convicted gangster Mainpal Dhilla, also known as Badli, who is serving life imprisonment in several murder cases, was granted a 12-hour custody parole on Thursday to marry his Cambodian partner, Meta Chan, at a farmhouse on the Jhajjar–Gurugram road, police said.
Dhilla, a resident of Badli village in Jhajjar district and an inmate at Hisar Central Jail, was taken under tight security to Dulina Farm for the ceremony. Authorities said the parole began at 8 am and he returned to custody by 8 pm when the period ended.
Security arrangements and guest management
Jhajjar police deployed a significant contingent at the venue and carried out checks on those entering the premises. Media access to the ceremony was restricted on security grounds, police officials said.
“The movement of guests and relatives was closely monitored and the media was not permitted inside the venue because of security considerations,” Simardeep Singh, superintendent of police, Jhajjar, said.
The wedding was conducted according to Hindu rites and was attended by members of the couple’s families, including the children of Meta Chan, who had accompanied her from abroad. Officials said arrangements were made to ensure Dhilla’s brief custody parole was completed without incident.
Background: escape, life sentences and extradition
Police records and official accounts show Dhilla has a criminal record dating to 2000 and faces about 22 cases, including murder, attempt to murder, robbery, dacoity, criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of weapons. He was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in April 2013 in a Bahadurgarh case registered in 2007, and has since been convicted in other matters.
Authorities say Dhilla was earlier granted six weeks’ parole in July 2018 from Hisar Central Jail but did not return. He is reported to have obtained a passport on allegedly forged documents and fled to Cambodia in July 2019, settling in Siem Reap and running a business there. He and Meta Chan began living together and had children while in Cambodia.
Dhilla was arrested in September last year after being extradited from Cambodia in an operation coordinated by the Central Bureau of Investigation, state police and the Union ministries of home and external affairs. Cambodian authorities had acted after an Interpol Red Notice was issued against him.
What happened on the day: numbers and timeline
Police and court records set out a compact timeline of key events leading up to Thursday’s wedding. The main points are:
- Parole duration: 12 hours (8 am to 8 pm on the day of the wedding).
- Venue: Dulina Farm, on the Jhajjar–Gurugram road.
- Custody: Dhilla returned to Hisar Central Jail at the end of the parole period.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2000 | First recorded criminal cases against Dhilla (police records) |
| 2013 | Sentenced to life imprisonment in a Bahadurgarh case |
| 2018 | Granted six weeks' parole; alleged absconding |
| 2019 | Reportedly fled to Siem Reap, Cambodia |
| 2025/2026 | Extradited and re-arrested; returned to Indian custody |
Legal and policing context
Police officials emphasised the parole was a temporary custody permission granted by the court. They described the operation to bring Dhilla to the wedding venue as tightly controlled to prevent any law-and-order risk. The case highlights the operational coordination between prison authorities, the district police and higher investigative agencies in handling high-risk prisoners on temporary release.
Officials reiterated that Dhilla remains an accused and convicted offender in multiple criminal matters and that the parole did not affect his custody status. He is due to serve the sentence imposed by the courts pending any further legal developments.
Local reaction and practical implications
The marriage drew local attention because of Dhilla’s notoriety and the cross-border elements of the story. Residents and local authorities will continue to watch for any legal proceedings that may follow, including routine reporting obligations for parole or any applications for future temporary release.
For residents and visitors in the Jhajjar-Gurugram area, police said the security deployment was limited to the venue and immediate approaches and there was no general law-and-order advisory for the public.
Dhilla’s case remains one of several that test the procedures for granting, monitoring and enforcing parole for prisoners convicted of serious offences. Any change in his legal status would be a matter for the courts and the investigating agencies handling the cases against him.
