Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh walked out of Rohtak’s high-security Sunaria jail early Tuesday after being granted a 21-day furlough. This marks his 17th temporary release since his conviction in 2017.
Ram Rahim left the prison at around 6 am amid security arrangements and is reportedly headed to the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters in Sirsa.
The latest furlough comes less than two months after he returned to Sunaria jail on June 26 following the completion of a 30-day parole.
Ram Rahim has been lodged in the Sunaria jail since August 2017, after being convicted of raping two female devotees. He was subsequently convicted in other criminal cases, including the murder of Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati.
With Tuesday’s release, Ram Rahim has now been granted parole or furlough on 17 occasions during his imprisonment. The frequency of his temporary releases has repeatedly drawn criticism and raised questions, particularly given the serious nature of the offences for which he is serving sentences.
Earlier this year, Ram Rahim was granted 40 days of parole in January. He was released again on a 30-day parole in May and returned to Rohtak’s Sunaria jail on June 26 after completing the period.
His latest 21-day furlough has once again brought the controversial Dera chief out of prison. The timing of the release has also attracted political attention, with Punjab scheduled to hold Assembly elections in February next year.
