Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is serving a 20-year sentence for raping two of his female disciples, was released from Sunaria jail in Rohtak on Monday. This release marks the 15th time he has walked out of prison on parole or furlough since his initial conviction in 2017.
A Pattern of Temporary Releases
The latest relief granted to the controversial sect leader is a 40-day parole. According to Dera spokesperson and advocate Jitender Khurana, Singh will spend this period at the sect's sprawling headquarters in Sirsa, Haryana. This release follows a pattern where Singh has frequently been granted temporary freedom, often around the time of state elections.
His last release was a 40-day parole in August 2025. Prior to that, he was granted a 21-day furlough in April 2025 and a 30-day parole in January 2025, just ahead of the Delhi assembly polls on February 5. Similarly, in October 2024, he walked out on a 20-day parole days before the Haryana assembly elections. An earlier 21-day furlough was granted in August 2024.
History of Convictions and Acquittals
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted in 2017 for the rape of two disciples. In a separate case, he and three others were convicted in 2019 for the murder of a journalist over 16 years ago. However, in a significant legal turn, the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted him and four others in May 2024 in the 2002 murder case of the sect's former manager, Ranjit Singh. The court cited "tainted and sketchy" investigations, overturning a life imprisonment sentence by a special CBI court.
During many of his previous 14 releases, Singh stayed at his Dera's ashram in Baghpat district, Uttar Pradesh. The Sirsa-headquartered Dera Sacha Sauda commands a significant following in several North Indian states, including Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan. In Haryana alone, it has a sizable voter base in districts like Sirsa, Fatehabad, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, and Hisar.
Political Timing and Criticism
The timing of Singh's releases has repeatedly drawn scrutiny and criticism from various quarters. His first major furlough was a three-week release starting February 7, 2022, barely two weeks before the Punjab assembly polls. Sikh organisations, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), have consistently criticised the state governments for granting him relief, alleging political motives to sway the Dera's considerable vote bank.
As the Dera chief begins his latest 40-day stay outside prison walls, the debate over the frequency and timing of his paroles is set to intensify once again, highlighting the complex interplay of law, politics, and faith in the region.
