- By Surarika Das
- Tue, 26 May 2026 11:47 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Sigh has once again been released from Sunaria Jail in Haryana's Rohtak after he was granted a 30-day parole. This marks the 16th temporary release since his conviction in 2020 in the Sadhvi sexual assault case.
The convicted, self-styled godman walked out of Sunaria Jail at 6:34 am on Tuesday with minimal security arrangements.
His paroles have been criticised by opposition parties and political activists, given the severity of his crimes. Many organisations have accused the Haryana government of extending undue favour to him. Dera Sacha Sauda has a significant following across Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan.
What Makes The Rape Convict Get Frequent Paroles?
Dera Sachcha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s repeated releases are linked to the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act 2022. The act lets eligible convicts apply for up to 70 days of parole and 21 days of furlough per calendar year. The rape convict Godman remains eligible for standard temporary release benefits due to the Haryana government classifying his multiple convictions as conspiracies rather than serial killings.
Entitlements:The legislation permits eligible prisoners to avail themselves of up to 70 days of parole and 21 days of furlough in a calendar year.
The "Conspiracy" Classification: Ram Rahim remains eligible for these standard temporary release benefits because the Haryana government has successfully classified his multiple convictions as criminal conspiracies (under Section 120B IPC) rather than serial killings.
Parole vs. Furlough: Parole (a temporary suspension of sentence) does not subtract from the total jail term, while furlough (granted for up to three weeks) counts as time served.
Rape Convict 'Godman' Given Parole For 436 Days In 9 Years
Singh was last released on a 40-day parole on January 5, 2026. At that period, he resided at the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda ashram before returning to jail after completion of the parole term. Tuesday marks the 16th time in 9 years that the rape convict has been released on parole.
Here is a detailed list of the date and time period of the rape convict Dera chief's parole:
1st Release (October 2020): 1 day
2nd Release (May 2021): 0.5 days (12 hours to visit his mother)
3rd Release (February 2022): 21 days
4th Release (June 2022): 30 days
5th Release (October 2022): 40 days
6th Release (January 2023): 40 days
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7th Release (July 2023): 30 days
8th Release (November 2023): 21 days
9th Release (January 2024): 50 days
10th Release (August 2024): 21 days
11th Release (October 2024): 20 days
12th Release (January 2025): 30 days
13th Release (April 2025): 21 days
14th Release (August 2025): 40 days
15th Release (January 2026): 40 days
16th Release (May 2026): 30 days (Current release)
On March 7, the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati's murder case. The Dera Chief was accused of orchestrating the killing of Ramchandra Chhatrapati, a Sirsa-based journalist, for slamming the convict in the newspaper.
In 2019, a Special CBI court found him guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment in the case. Along with Ram Rahim, three other convicts – Kuldeep Singh, Nirmal Singh and Krishan Lal – were also found guilty in the murder case and were awarded life imprisonment. The court had also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each.
Earlier, in 2024, the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted Dera Sacha Sauda chief and four others in the 2002 murder case of a former Dera official. The special CBI court of Panchkula had sentenced all the accused, including Gurmeet Ram Rahim and four others, to life imprisonment in the murder case of Dera manager Ranjit Singh.