Ram Rahim Gets 21-Day Furlough, Returns to Sirsa Dera
Dera Sacha Sauda chief and rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.
Chandigarh: Rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, walked out of Sunaria Jail in Rohtak on Wednesday morning. He has received a 21-day furlough and will stay at the Dera headquarters in Sirsa during this time.
Dera spokesperson and advocate Jitender Khurana confirmed the furlough. He said that Singh would remain in Sirsa throughout the furlough period.
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Sends Message Ahead of Dera Foundation Day
Shortly after his release, Ram Rahim appeared in a video. He congratulated his followers ahead of Dera’s foundation day on April 29. The Dera, founded in 1948 by Baba Shah Mastana, has a wide base of followers across Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan.
Repeated Furloughs Often Coincide With Elections
Authorities have granted Singh several furloughs and paroles in the past, many of which occurred around election time:
- In January 2024, he got a 30-day parole before the Delhi Assembly polls.
- In October 2023, he received 20-day parole before the Haryana elections.
- In February 2022, he walked out on 21-day furlough just ahead of Punjab Assembly elections.
These releases have drawn criticism. Groups like the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) have questioned the timing and raised concerns about political motivations.
Criminal Convictions and Court Rulings
In 2017, a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court convicted Singh for raping two women and sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Later, the court also found him guilty in the 2002 murder case of his former manager Ranjit Singh and gave him a life sentence.
In May 2023, the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted him in the murder case. The court pointed to poor investigations and weak evidence.
Despite his criminal record, Ram Rahim Singh still holds strong influence. His Dera has large followings in districts like Sirsa, Fatehabad, Hisar, Kaithal, and Kurukshetra.
