Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, chief of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect, walked out of Sunaria Jail on Tuesday, May 30, 2024, after being granted parole.
The release of the convicted rapist and murderer continues to draw scrutiny regarding the frequency of temporary leaves granted to high-profile prisoners in India.
Singh was released from the facility in Rohtak, Haryana, following a parole order issued by the competent state authority [1, 2]. Reports on the specific terms of this release vary. One source said the parole duration is 30 days [1], while another said it is a 40-day period [2].
This event marks another instance of Singh leaving prison since his conviction in 2017 [3]. There is a discrepancy in the total number of releases; records indicate this is either his 15th [2] or 16th [1] time on parole since that year.
Singh is currently serving a 20-year sentence [3] related to his convictions. The Dera Sacha Sauda leader has a history of frequent temporary exits from the correctional system, a pattern that has sparked debate over judicial and administrative consistency in the region.
Authorities in Rohtak managed the exit from Sunaria Jail to ensure order during the transition. The state authority said the release was granted as part of standard parole procedures, though the exact duration remains contested between reporting agencies [1, 2].
“Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh walked out of Sunaria Jail on Tuesday, May 30, 2024, after being granted parole.”
The frequent granting of parole to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh highlights a recurring tension between the legal right to temporary release and public perception of justice for severe crimes. The contradictions in reported parole lengths and the total count of releases underscore the lack of centralized, transparent tracking for high-profile inmates in the Haryana prison system.
