Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is serving a 20-year sentence for the rape of two disciples, was released from Sunaria jail on Monday after being granted a 40-day parole. During the parole period, Singh will stay at the Dera’s headquarters in Sirsa, according to Dera spokesperson and advocate Jitender Khurana, as reported by PTI. Apart from the rape conviction, Singh and three others were also found guilty in 2019 in the murder of a journalist over 16 years ago. This is not his first temporary release, as he was earlier granted a 40-day parole in August 2025.
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Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s Record of 40-Day Parole Temporary Releases
Authorities granted Singh temporary release several times during the past few years for various reasons. He enjoyed a twenty-one-day furlough in April 2025 after a January parole period ended. The January release occurred right before the February fifth Delhi Assembly elections last year. Singh secured a twenty-day parole on October first just before the Haryana state polls. The government also allowed him a twenty-one-day furlough during the month of August 2024. He received a three-week furlough in February 2022 shortly before the Punjab Assembly elections.
Sikh organizations criticize these frequent releases and question the legal relief provided to him. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee actively challenges the repetitive nature of these temporary leaves. The High Court acquitted Singh in May 2024 regarding a 2002 murder case investigation. Judges described the previous investigations as tainted and sketchy while overturning the earlier verdict. Singh usually stays at the Dera ashram in Baghpat district during his temporary releases. Dera Sacha Sauda maintains a massive following across Haryana, Punjab, and the Rajasthan region.
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