Rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh granted parole again
What's the story
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, has been granted a 40-day parole by the Haryana government. He was released from Sunaria jail in Rohtak on Tuesday morning. During this period, he will be staying at his Dera's headquarters in Sirsa. This is not the first time Singh has been granted such privileges; he was previously given a 21-day furlough in April and a 30-day parole in January.
Political timing
Singh's paroles often coincide with election periods
Singh's releases have often coincided with election periods in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi or Rajasthan. These states are home to a large number of Dera Sacha Sauda followers. His January release on a 30-day parole came just a week before the Delhi Assembly elections. He was also granted a 20-day release on October 1 of last year, just before the Haryana Assembly elections on October 5.
Legal background
Singh was sentenced to 20 years in prison
In August 2017, Singh was convicted by a Panchkula court on two counts of rape. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined ₹15 lakh for each victim. The Dera chief had been serving his sentence at Sunaria jail since then. However, in another case, the Punjab and Haryana High Court in May 2024 acquitted Singh and four others in the 2002 murder of the sect's former manager, Ranjit Singh, citing "tainted and sketchy" investigations.