Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the chief of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect, has been granted a 21-day [1] parole from prison this week.
This release marks the 17th [1] time the convicted rapist and murderer has been allowed temporary leave while serving a life sentence [1]. The frequency of these releases has drawn criticism from opposition parties who questioned the timing and regularity of his furloughs.
Singh left Sunaria jail in Rohtak, Haryana, to travel to the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters in Sirsa, Haryana [2, 3]. The parole was granted as part of the regular parole process [1].
While this current release is for 21 days [1], previous temporary releases have lasted longer, including one instance of 30 days [4]. The sect leader's repeated departures from custody have remained a point of contention in the region.
Security measures typically increase around the Sirsa headquarters during these visits to manage the influx of followers. Singh remains a convicted criminal serving a life sentence [1] for crimes including rape and murder.
“This release marks the 17th time the convicted rapist and murderer has been allowed temporary leave.”
The repeated granting of parole to a high-profile convict like Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh highlights the tension between standard prison administrative processes and the public perception of justice. For the Dera Sacha Sauda sect, these releases allow the leader to maintain a physical presence at his headquarters, while for critics, the frequency of the furloughs suggests a failure to strictly enforce a life sentence.
