Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the incarcerated chief of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect, has been granted a 40-day parole, marking his 15th temporary release from prison since his conviction in 2017. Sources confirmed the development on Sunday. Singh is currently serving a 20-year jail term in Haryana's Sunaria jail in Rohtak for the rape of two of his female disciples.
A Pattern of Temporary Releases
This latest parole comes just months after a similar 40-day parole was granted to him in August of last year. Since his conviction in 2017, Singh has now been out of prison on parole or furlough on 15 separate occasions. The pattern of releases around election periods has been a point of public discussion and criticism.
Earlier this year, he was granted a 21-day furlough in April 2025 and a 30-day parole in January 2025, ahead of the Delhi assembly polls on February 5. Similarly, in 2024, he was allowed a 20-day parole starting October 1, just days before the Haryana assembly elections on October 5. He also received a 21-day furlough in August 2024.
History of Convictions and Acquittals
Singh was sentenced to 20 years in prison 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 turn of events, the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted Singh 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 as the reason for the acquittal. A special CBI court had earlier sentenced them to life imprisonment in this case, holding Singh guilty of criminal conspiracy.
Political Reactions and Sect's Influence
The frequent parole grants to the Dera chief have drawn criticism from various quarters, including Sikh organisations like the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). The Sirsa-headquartered Dera Sacha Sauda commands a significant following in several states, particularly in Haryana and Punjab. In Haryana, the sect has a sizable voter base in districts like Sirsa, Fatehabad, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, and Hisar, which often brings a political dimension to decisions concerning its leader.
On many of his previous 14 releases, Singh stayed at the Dera's ashram located in the Bagpat district of Uttar Pradesh. The latest 40-day parole continues a controversial trend that keeps the convicted sect leader in the public eye and raises questions about the application of parole norms for high-profile prisoners.
