Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Granted 30-Day Parole, 16th Release

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the chief of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect, was released from Sunaria jail in Rohtak, Haryana, on Tuesday morning after being granted a 30-day parole. This marks the 16th time he has walked free from custody since his conviction in 2017 for the rape of two female disciples, for which he is serving a 20-year sentence.

The sect’s spokesperson and advocate, Jitender Khurana, confirmed the release, stating Ram Rahim would spend the parole period at the Dera’s headquarters in Sirsa, Haryana. Authorities have imposed restrictions, barring him from holding physical gatherings with followers but permitting him to address them virtually.

This latest release exhausts the maximum parole allowance available to him for the 2026 calendar year under the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners Temporary Release Act, 2022, which permits up to 10 weeks of parole annually. Officials have stated that such releases are lawful administrative decisions based on a prisoner’s conduct.

The frequency and timing of Ram Rahim’s temporary releases have drawn sustained criticism from opposition parties, activists, and Sikh organizations like the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Critics...