New Delhi: Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, serving a 20-year prison sentence, has received another 40-day parole from Sunaria jail in Haryana’s Rohtak. Sources confirmed the decision, marking yet another temporary release for the jailed sect leader.
Singh was convicted in 2017 for the rape of two of his disciples. In 2019, a court also convicted him along with three others for the murder of a journalist over 16 years earlier. Despite these convictions, parole and furlough orders have followed at regular intervals.
The latest parole comes months after a similar 40-day parole granted in August last year. Earlier, Singh received a 21-day furlough in April and a 30-day parole in January ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections. In October 2024, he was granted a 20-day parole shortly before the Haryana Assembly polls. In August 2024, authorities approved a 21-day furlough. In February 2022, he received a three-week furlough close to the Punjab Assembly elections.
Records show Singh has remained out of prison 14 times since his conviction in 2017. On several occasions, he stayed at the Dera ashram in Uttar Pradesh’s Bagpat district during his release period.
Sikh organisations, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, have earlier criticised repeated paroles and furloughs for Singh. They have questioned the intent and timing of such decisions, especially during election periods.
The Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda holds influence across Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and other states. Districts such as Sirsa, Fatehabad, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, and Hisar have a large number of followers.
The fresh parole has once again sparked debate on consistency, accountability, and equal application of law in high-profile criminal cases.
