In a significant development, Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been granted parole yet again, marking the fifteenth such instance since his initial conviction in 2017. The controversial religious leader, currently serving life imprisonment for murder and a 20-year term for rape, is set to walk out of Rohtak's Sunaria jail on Monday for a period of 40 days.
A Pattern of Parole Releases
This latest release, approved by the Rohtak divisional commissioner on Saturday, will bring the total time Ram Rahim has spent outside prison to a staggering 405 days in just over eight years. The parole was sanctioned based on his application to attend the birth anniversary of the dera's second head, Shah Satnam Singh, on January 25. He is expected to remain at the sect's headquarters in Sirsa for the duration of his parole.
The frequency of his parole has drawn considerable attention. In the year 2025 alone, he was released on three separate occasions:
- A 30-day parole in January, ahead of the Delhi assembly elections.
- A 21-day parole in April.
- A 40-day parole in August, which coincided with his birthday.
Conditions and Past Parole Stays
While standard parole rules strictly prohibit a convict in rape and murder cases from participating in public gatherings, Ram Rahim has been allowed to connect with his followers through virtual platforms during each release. On previous parole stints, he has stayed at various locations, including the dera's ashram in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh.
Background of Convictions and Violence
The legal troubles for the Dera chief began when a special CBI court in Panchkula convicted him on August 25, 2017, for the sexual assault of two of his female followers. This verdict triggered widespread and violent protests across Haryana and Punjab. Clashes between his supporters and security forces resulted in over 40 deaths, leading to his dramatic airlift from the courthouse directly to Sunaria jail.
Subsequently, in January 2019, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati. He received another life sentence in 2021 for the murder of dera manager Ranjit Singh, though the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted him in that particular case three years later.
The repeated parole releases of a high-profile convict serving time for such serious crimes continues to be a subject of intense public debate and scrutiny in the region.
