On Tuesday, 26 May 2026, convicted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh walked out of Sunaria Jail in Rohtak, Haryana, after receiving a fresh 30-day parole from the Haryana administration. Escorted in a four-vehicle police convoy at around 6:30 am, he travelled directly to the sect headquarters in Sirsa.
Ram Rahim is serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2017 for raping two female disciples. Although the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted him in March 2026 in the separate murder case of journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati, his rape conviction and prison term remain intact.
His lawyers argue that the parole is a statutory right granted for good prison conduct. However, opposition parties, activists, and civil society groups have condemned the move, calling it another example of preferential treatment toward a politically influential figure. This marks Ram Rahim’s 16th temporary release since 2020 and exhausts the entire 10-week parole allowance legally available to him for 2026.
From Spiritual Empire to Strict Confinement
For decades, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh led the powerful Dera Sacha Sauda sect, commanding millions of followers across Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Known for his flamboyant image and immense political influence, he was considered a major electoral force in North India.
That empire collapsed in August 2017 when a special CBI court convicted him of sexually assaulting two women inside his ashram. The verdict triggered widespread violence across Haryana, resulting in riots and deaths. He was sentenced to two consecutive 10-year rigorous imprisonment terms, amounting to 20 years in prison.
Apart from the rape convictions, Ram Rahim also faced murder charges. In 2019, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for orchestrating the 2002 killing of journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati, who had exposed alleged abuses within the Dera. However, on 7 March 2026, the High Court overturned that conviction, citing weaknesses in the prosecution’s evidence. Despite the acquittal, he remains imprisoned under the rape sentence.
The Exploding Timeline of Temporary Releases
Critics increasingly argue that the Dera chief’s repeated exits have transformed the prison gate into a revolving door for an influential convict. Under the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 2022, prisoners can receive up to 10 weeks of parole and three weeks of furlough annually. Ram Rahim has repeatedly used these provisions to their fullest extent.
After already completing a 40-day parole beginning on 5 January 2026, his latest 30-day release now fully exhausts his annual parole quota. He still remains eligible to apply for a separate three-week furlough before the end of the year.
Chronology of Releas
Ram Rahim’s repeated temporary releases have consistently drawn public scrutiny. His first paroles came in October 2020 and May 2021, when he was granted single-day releases to visit his ailing mother. In 2022, he received a 21-day furlough ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections, followed by 30-day and 40-day paroles in June and October.
The frequency increased in 2023, when he spent 91 days outside prison through two paroles and one furlough across January, July, and November, while continuing to address followers virtually. In 2024, he was granted 50 days of parole in January, 21 days in August, and another 20-day parole around the Haryana Assembly elections, again triggering criticism over timing.
The pattern continued through 2025 and 2026. Ram Rahim received paroles of 30 days in January 2025, 21 days in April 2025, and 40 days in August 2025. He was granted another 40-day parole on 5 January 2026, followed by the current 30-day release in May. With this, he has exhausted the full 10-week parole quota permitted for 2026, though he remains eligible for a separate three-week furlough.
Systemic Loopholes and Public Scepticism
The latest release has triggered sharp public backlash. Social media users, opposition leaders, and activists accuse the Haryana administration of extending repeated “special treatment” to a high-profile convict with considerable political influence.
Legally, parole temporarily suspends a prisoner’s sentence, meaning the released days are later added back to the total imprisonment period. Authorities maintain that Ram Rahim’s releases are lawful administrative decisions under prison reform laws and are based on “good conduct” during incarceration.
To avoid law-and-order concerns, authorities have imposed restrictions on his stay at the Dera headquarters in Sirsa. He cannot organize large public gatherings or physical assemblies. However, as seen during previous paroles, he is still allowed to address followers through digital platforms, recorded videos, and online broadcasts.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The repeated paroles granted to a convict serving time for sexual assault raise serious concerns about equality within India’s criminal justice system. Rehabilitation and temporary release provisions are important parts of a humane prison framework, but critics argue they should not appear selectively accessible to politically connected or socially influential individuals.
When the justice system seems more flexible for powerful figures than for ordinary prisoners, public faith in institutional fairness weakens. More importantly, repeated relief to influential convicts risks undermining the struggles of survivors and victims who fought difficult legal battles to secure justice.
For genuine social trust and accountability to exist, the law must apply with equal scrutiny to both influential spiritual leaders and ordinary citizens alike.
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#WATCH | Haryana | Rape convict Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who has been released from Sunaria prison in Rohtak after being granted 30-day parole, arrives in Sirsa pic.twitter.com/ifkW47oXNI
— ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2026
