Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has once again been granted a 30-day parole by prison authorities. According to Dera spokesperson and advocate Jitender Khurana, the controversial self-styled godman will spend the duration of his temporary release at the sect’s headquarters in Sirsa, Haryana.
The Dera chief is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence following his high-profile 2017 conviction for raping two of his female disciples. He is permanently lodged in the Sunaria jail in Rohtak, Haryana.
A Pattern of Frequent Releases
This latest release marks the 16th time Ram Rahim has been granted temporary freedom via parole or furlough since his incarceration began nine years ago. The move comes just a few months after his previous 30-day release in January.
The frequency of his temporary releases has repeatedly drawn intense scrutiny from legal experts, opposition leaders, and civil society groups, who argue that the highly influential sect leader receives preferential treatment compared to standard prisoners under state jail manuals.
Despite the widespread public backlashes and legal challenges that routinely accompany these decisions, state prison administration officials maintain that paroles are processed in strict accordance with regular jail protocols and behavior evaluations.
